Stained Faith
by Forgettmenot
Summary: When Destiny Uzimaki learns the truth about her heritige she is thrust into a world she never knew existed. Now, in the darkest times of night a strange visitor haunts her dreams...leaving physical evidence of his stay. But no one listens to a little girl
1. Chapter 1

Stained Faith

Winter. They have winter in Japan, right? I looked through the fogged up window and onto the whirlwind of ice that father winter had created. Icicles tickled the bellies of pine needles, stretching into long, drawn out silvery spikes. The fat, over weight branches of the spruce neighboring my window tapped at the glass, dragging it's fingers from side to side. I leaned my head up against the frosted window pane and sighed. Tonight would be the last time that I would see blizzarding storms, icicle sick pines, and thick wool sweaters for a long while.

Tomorrow, my life would change and I could do nothing about it. Given that I'd been an orphan most of my life I'd never been able to do much about anything, but still, the lack of power over my own life upset me.

Robin, the woman that was fostering me, had finally managed to track down a relative mine. He to had lost his parents at a young age, but a man named Kakashi had adopted him, and was willing to take me in as well. After 8 years, I was finally being adopted. His name was Naruto, I had no idea how I was related to him, I was guessing he was a second cousin or something like that. I think they said Naruto was 12 like me, but I wasn't sure. That man Kakashi was a teacher at some school, and thanks to him I, like Naruto, would now be his student.

As thrilled as I was to finally get out of the foster, there was a definite damper on my parade. Naruto lived in Japan. Do they have winter in Japan?

By five the next morning I had said my farewells to Robin and the snow and was on a plane. I wanted to sleep, but my nerves wouldn't let me. I had way to much on my mind to sleep, plus I hated planes. So I spent about 18 hours leaning my head back trying very hard not to think.

I watched as the sky dimmed, and the sun slowly sank beneath the clouds. In all my 12 years I had never been on an airplane. The experience was stunning. Once you got over the nausea, you couldn't help but be mesmerized by the clouds, dyed pink and orange by the bleeding sun, be hypnotized ocean laid ahead. Before I was even aware of what was happening I fell asleep.

***

The sky hung low, cold moisture sticking to my skin. Mist sheeted across the yard, ridding a gust of frigid wind. But the temperature didn't bother me, I was used to the cold. A frog croaked somewhere of in the distance, by the lake that occupied the backyard. I ran around the side of the old, stone house and pushed through the grass that was nearly as tall as I was until I was squatting down on the muddy bay. My reflection stared back at me from the pond, a perfect mirror. I analyzed the bright blue innocent eyes, and tangled blond hair, and smiled at myself.

That's when I heard the voices, two of them, both smooth, and beautiful, voices that I will never forget. I stayed put, nervous yet excited. Words snaked through the wind and passed by just out of reach. I could only pick out bits and pieces of the conversation, something about a man named Ozimaki, and punishment. But that's about all I got, until one man spoke the word that shattered my world. It hung in the air by a thread of pleasure, and on my part horror. Murder.

***

It was my own scream that woke me, and I shut myself up as fast as I could. As I blinked to awareness I noticed all of the panicky people around me, staring and whispering to one and other. A flight attendant hurried down the isle with a relieved expression on her face, seeing that no one was hurt. She picked me out of the crowd as the screamer immediately after taking in all the stares.

"Dear, what's wrong?" The elderly attendant questioned.

"Nothing, it was just a nightmare," I mumbled, refusing to make eye contact.

She didn't look convinced. "Can I get you anything?" she sounded a little worried.

"No thanks." My tone ended the conversation.

She looked at me a moment before hesitantly backing away, probably afraid that I would freak out again, which if I fell back asleep I might.

I tried to push away the dream, but I failed miserably. All I could think was, that was the last I saw my parents. I remembered the screams, the sick feeling in my stomach, and the urge to sprint inside that house and try to fight off the beautiful voices. But fear had kept me in place, I had been to afraid to fight, to save my family. My hands clenched into tight fists. Maybe they would still be here if I wasn't such a coward. _You would have died, you were four,_ I reminded myself. Still, it was hard knowing that I had watched my family's murder, and done nothing to stop it.

I dozed for a while before we landed and transferred planes. It was only five hours until I would meet my new family and I wanted to make a good impression. I changed out of my comfy sweats into a pair of light denim jeans and an orange tank top, adjusting for the humidity and heat that I had been warned of.

The transfer plane was small, with just a few other passengers, apparently this was a remote part of Japan. As the plane began it's decent I discover that lip gloss and a dropping plane didn't go well together. Reluctantly, I placed the gloss back in my purse and went to work at my hair. I had to make a good first impression.

By the time the plane touched down I had major jitters in my stomach. For all I knew I could be spending the rest of my life here. Through the tiny plane window the forest seemed endless.

I hurried out of the plane, waiting to meet my fate. On my way to the baggage claim I could hardly even walk strait, my nerves were endlessly out of control and my fingers felt clumsy. I couldn't help but wondering, is Kakashi nice? Will I like Naruto? Will I have any friends? Will everyone else speak Japanese? I knew they were stupid thoughts, but the pressures of popularity and friendship were things that one couldn't escape even if she moved all the way to Japan.

Someone's hand grabbed my shoulder, I released a loud shriek as I pulled myself away. I turned around to face the man feeling very faint and jumpy from the adrenaline. Immediately, I took a step back, shocked to find that this wasn't some fifty year old pervert out to kidnap me.

In fact, this guy wasn't that bad looking. He must have been about thirty, even though he did possess some characteristics of an old man, aka white hair pulled back in a pony tail and an eye patch. All and all he resembled a pirate. He was smiling at me. I took another step back wondering who this guy was. He seemed to have read my mind.

"Hello, my name is Kakashi," My eyes widened as I recognized the name. "You must be Destiny," I nodded and looked away from his laughing face, so much for a good impression. "Can I take your bag?" he motioned to my backpack of belongings.

"No, I have it," I replied, and started of in the direction that Kakashi was looking. He matched my pace. Once outside I looked around, confused. "Where's the parking lot?" all around we were surrounded by green trees with out even a path.

Kakashi grinned at me, "There isn't one."

"Then where's the car parked," I frowned.

Kakashi seemed to be enjoying some inside joke. "We're walking Destiny."

It wasn't until I was encased in a maze of trees that I believed him. All the same I followed Kakashi through the forest, to shy to start any conversations.

"It's funny, how much you look like Naruto," Kakashi mused.

"What does he look like, I've never seen him before," I admitted.

He ignored my question. "Destiny, there's something we need to talk about,"

I bit my lip at the hesitance in his voice.

"How much do you know about the hidden leaf village?"

"Is that where we're going?"

He looked at me sideways for a minute. "Ya, that's were we're going."

"So what about the village, does it not have plumbing of something?" I tried to lighten the mood.

He smiled. "No Destiny, far from than that," I didn't like the tone of his voice. "Robin told you that I was a teacher right?" I nodded. "Well the thing is, it's more off an academy than a school. An academy for ninjas."

I stopped walking and looked at him for a long moment. "Ninjas?" I asked doubtfully. I bit my lip to hold back laughter. I was starting to wonder if Kakashi was crazy after all.

"Listen, I know that it's kind of hard to believe, but you're just going to have to trust me until we get there. But for now I need to talk to you about Naruto."

I took a deep breath. Ya, what about him?" and I started walking again.

"I'm assuming that you have no idea how you're related to Naruto, right?"

"Ummm, no. I was hoping that you might be able to answer that one," I said in a small voice.

He chuckled. "You won't believe me," he accused.

" Great," sarcasm was dripping off my words.

"Naruto is… sort of your twin brother," He watched my expression with amusement as I tried to reassemble my thoughts.

"What?" was all that came out at fist. Naruto, my brother? That was impossible, I remembered my family, and their murder, and I did not have a brother.

"That family, the one in the hidden mist, they weren't your biological parents. Your true parents had given you to them for safe keeping and kept hold of Naruto themselves. Both families knew they were in danger but hoped that by splitting the Ozimaki family up at least one of you would survive. Nobody ever knew that you existed Destiny," He paused to let me soak it all in.

"I have a twin brother? Who's alive!" That's was the only thing on my mind. "Tell me about him!" I couldn't contain the excitement boiling over.

"He's extremely energetic, and a good fighter," Kakashi informed me. "But the thing is, just as you never knew you had a twin, he doesn't know about you either."

We walked in silence for a moment, as I thought all of this info over, wondering if any of it could be true. And then something bubbled to my head. "You said no one knew I existed, how did you know where I was?"

He laughed, surprising me. "Destiny I've been trying to find you for years, and you are all to much like your brother," he grinned.

"Why did my parents split Naruto and I up?" I wondered aloud.

His voice was serious again. "They were afraid that their lives might end soon, and wanted to ensure that the Ozimakis would live on.

We wondered the forest in silence for what must have been hours, neither of us filling the gap with pointless chatter. Besides, I had far to much to think about now. After a while I began to wonder how far the village was, the sun was beginning to set. So I asked Kakashi.

"We're almost there, just another 15 minutes or so," I breathed a sigh of relief, my legs were dragging after hours of hiking. "I told them to meet me at the park at sundown, we're right on time."

"Them? Who are we meeting?" Besides Naruto.

"Oh, um, I guess I forgot," he admitted. "Naruto trains in a group of three, since you'll be joining them I thought they should all find out about you at the same time."

"Oh," was all I could say.

Kakashi was right, in about 10 minutes we were following a skinny dirt path through the thinning trees. Soon the trees disappeared all together and I found myself wondering the streets of a little village that belonged in a fantasy novel.

"The hidden leaf village," Kakashi announced, as I followed him through crowds of people swarming the streets.

The park was small, and polluted with trees and knee high grass. The nervousness of before was returning, and I prayed that the other "ninjas" would like me. Kakashi led me to the far end of the park, where the trees were thicker. And then we stopped.

I didn't see them until Kakashi called them out. "Sakura," He called, and a girl about my age appeared out of no where to my left. She wore a red dress that immediately told me jeans weren't the latest fashion here, and had a head band pulling back her…pink hair.

"Sasuke," as Kakashi said the name a boy dropped out of a tree directly in front of me, I hopped backwards frightened, barley suppressing a squeal. The boy gave me a board look and walked back to stand by Sakura, black hair twisting in the wind.

I knew who Kakashi would call next, and I was nearly shaking with nerves. "Naruto," and my brother dropped down from a tree left of Sasuke's.

It was obvious that we were siblings, he had the same blond hair and blue eyes as I did, and what more he was wearing the exact same orange as I was. He was smiling, as he hurried over to join the others.

"Kakashi sensei, who's the girl?" he practically shouted across the short space separating us.

"Naruto do you have to yell?" Sakura scolded him. Naruto just rolled his eyes.

"Who is she?" he pressed, ignoring Sakura completely.

"This is Destiny," Kakashi informed them. "And she will be joining your team."

The reactions were mixed, Sakura looked puzzled, like she didn't know what to think. Sasuke was propped up against a tree with his head leaned back and eyes closed in annoyance. But to my relief Naruto looked thrilled, and was smiling real big.

"Anyways, there's something you should know about Destiny," He paused, and his eyes locked no Naruto. My gut clenched. "Destiny is Naruto's twin sister."

I tried very hard not to care about their reactions, but it was hard. Sasuke's eyes went real wide for a minute, then he groaned, looking me over and making comparisons no doubt. Sakura had a look of extreme surprise on her face, but I wasn't watching them, I was watching Naruto.

"I've got a sister?" He asked, shock numbing his voice.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you sooner, I wanted to make sure that she was still alive."

"Hi everybody!" I exclaimed, trying to sound like I actually wanted to be here. To my annoyance my voice shot up an octave due to my nerves and I sounded like an over enthusiastic valley girl chipmunk.

Naruto just nodded at Kakashi, and then turned to face me. It was funny how absolutely Naruto trusted Kakashi, there was no doubt in his eyes as he looked me over, just aw. Our eyes locked, each searching the other's for answers that we couldn't speak of here.

"She looks just like you Naruto," Sakura commented, to nervous to speak to me directly.

"Great," Sasuke muttered. "another hair brained Naruto. The village doesn't stand a chance of sanity." I caught his eye and gave him my best death glare, he smirked at me. I flickered my eyes to Sakura as she let out a breath of air and smiled at Sasuke.

"Yeah," she thoughtlessly agreed with him.

Great, I had known my team for 5 minutes and I already had 2 enemies. At least Naruto seemed to like me.

I looked over at Naruto and noticed that he was no longer smiling, rather glaring at the other two. The lines defining the love triangle in front of me were almost visible. So my Brother must like Pinky, but she obviously doesn't return his feelings, she seemed rather obsessed with that Sasuke, but it looked as though he didn't care for either of them. Oh well, Pinky can have Sasuke, I thought, he seems like a real idiot.

"Lets go," I forced my voice back to its normal pitch. "I've got a lot to talk to you about," I directed this towards Naruto. He picked up the clue and motioned me over.

"Pathetic," I heard Sasuke's voice. When I turned around he was already gone. Apparently I had already managed to do _something_ that annoyed this kid, so much for making new friends.

As we walked I starred at the ground, afraid to make eye contact with the others, I just couldn't understand why people had to be so mean. It wasn't until Naruto spoke that I realized we were alone. He blurted out all of the obvious stuff, like "Oh my gosh I never imagined I had a twin" and "What's your favorite color." But when I didn't respond in any more than three words he grew steadily quieter. "What's wrong," he questioned, unsure of himself.

I looked up at him for a moment and started preparing a bogus lie when he caught my eye, and his concern yanked the truth out. "Why does Sasuke hate me?" I whispered.

Too my surprise he started laughing, but stopped when he saw my angered expression. "So is that all your worried about?" His voice was soft, and kind.

"Yeah," I sighed. "It's just that I get to this new place hoping that I can get along with everybody, and ten minutes after I arrive 2/3s of my team hates me. They don't even know me," I grumbled.

He swung his arm around my shoulder in a very brotherly way. "Sasuke hates everybody," he informed me. "He see's everyone as weak, and unworthy of his time, or as his competition, where he can't wait to humiliate you in battle."

"He thinks I'm weak," I realized, offended. "How would he know anyways?" I was starting to get annoyed..

"He realized that you had no training when you flinched back from his landing," He grinned.

My voice rose in annoyance. "He has no idea what this girl can," I glared intently at the approaching houses, my face growing red and flustered. " And if he thinks that the fact that I'm new here will hold me back than he is sadly mistaken," My hands where clenched in tight fists. I looked directly into Naruto's eyes and put all my bottled up feelings from the past few days into my words. "Some day I will beat him," I vowed, in a whispered tone.

Naruto stopped and looked at me, a smile playing with the edges of his lips. "We really must be related," he declared.


	2. Chapter 2

Stained Faith 2

I looked around the small square room, taking in the blank walls, and the scratchy blanket spread over my legs. It wasn't that different from that orphanage that I had lived in before Robin had found me.

I swung myself out of the bed and walked over to the window, gazing at the dark, clouded sky. It must be late. I sat back down on the bed and thought the days events through. Naruto had taken me back to the apartments, turns out that Kakashi hadn't exactly adopted him, he was more of a guardian, considering that Naruto lived on his own. I was assigned to the apartment neighboring his, it was on the top floor, and over looked the village.

We had talked a while, exchanged stories, but it got late quickly, by the end of the hour Naruto had hardly been able to keep his eyes open. I hadn't slept at all, the lumpy mattress a major downgrade from my old bed. The glare of the moon seemed far to bright, taunting me. I managed to hold back the tears until I was certain that Naruto was asleep, after that I let them flow freely, giving myself this one night to feel sorry for myself. I was under the impression that crying wasn't expectable in this village.

It wasn't until now, as I lay wide eyed and restless, that I realized the reason I couldn't sleep. It was the time change. I don't know how it had slipped my mind that nearly 20 hours separated home and here. It was day time, or should be. I got dressed, giving in to my need to move, and slipped out the back door.

The air was cool, and damp against my skin. My footsteps echoed endlessly over the stone streets. The place felt deserted, and there was a sense of urgency in the air. I had never snuck out before, and the ashes of guilt were stirring inside me.

The moon cast slender shadows over the streets, the hairs on my arms stood on end. It was strange, not even the hum of tires on road disrupted the night. All I could hear was my own breathing, and the beat of my heart. Why am I here, I wondered suddenly. I've spent my whole life dreaming of adventure, and here it is, my chance. It was strange, what I thought I wanted my whole life was finally thrust at me, and yet I found myself retreating.

A brisk wind wrapped around my body and slithered away. I shivered. For the first time it seemed like this place was vacant for a purpose. Maybe there was a reason everybody stayed inside at night, besides the obvious. I looked around, suddenly feeling very insignificant. All the houses looked the same, redundant. I started walking faster, trying to restrain my imagination. I was starting to feel like I was being stalked, but all my eyes could made out in the moon's dim light were shadows. Panic began swelling inside me, something was wrong, very wrong.

And that's when I heard the voice.

It was smooth, it glided through the air like a kite. My breathing quickened, shock numbed the edge of my consciousness. I glanced around myself, my hands cold and clammy. My mind shut down as the voice sounded again, it was horrifyingly familiar, and I knew exactly were it was from.

It was the voice, the beautiful voice… the one that had murdered my family. I took a dizzying step back as the voice spoke again.

"Destiny," The hiss cut the air. I closed my eyes and slapped my hands over my ears like a child. "Destiny," I shook my head from side to side, tears flying free. I meekly wondered how I could still hear him with my hands clasped over my ears. This was to much, it couldn't be happening. I tried to make myself shrink, to make myself disappear. "Dessssstiny," the voice slithered through the air.

"No," I mumbled quietly. "No, no, no," I repeated, my voice raising to a near shriek, wishing it would all just go away.

"No what?" the voice taunted. "You can't do _anything_ Destiny, you're alone, and weak, breakable as glass in my hand," I just cried harder, pulling my hands tight over my ears. His voice still rung clear in my mind. "Open your eyes Destiny," the voice commanded. And I obeyed.

The scream was out of my throat before I could restrain it. A pair of silted, alluring eyes were level with my own. His pale lips were inches from mine. Dark strands of hair escaping from behind his ears hung over his eyes, holding me paralyzed in his gaze. A pink tongue peaked out between his lips and wetted them. He saw my eyes widen, the spell of his eyes broken, as I hurried to stand up. His hand grasp my arm, his nails raking into my flesh. My face twisted into a mask of pain as I stared at the bloody scratch marks on my arm. He smiled at me, showing off pearly white teeth, shaking his head from side to side, his face lit with amusement. "You will _never_ be free," he whispered, almost silently. His laughter mixed with my own scream. It was a true scream, a scream of bloody murder, I hoped it brought the neighbors running. I put all I had into that scream seeing that it might be my last chance.

A hand clasped over my mouth, muffling the strangled sound escaping my throat. I thrashed violently, clawing at it, and biting. But it was stronger than I was, and held me still while another hand plugged my nose. Soon I was out of air, and the scream faltered to a stop. The hand released me, and I gasped for breath. I looked around myself, recognizing the plain white walls, and lumpy mattress, and lastly the stunned face of Naruto.

"Destiny! What's wrong?" He looked young in the dim light, his eyes wide in panic. I looked around hurriedly, returning to reality, remembering the beautiful voice again. It wasn't until I tried to push myself off the bed that I realized something was binding my hands behind my back. I twisted around, heart hammering. My eyes settled on the dark form of Sasuke. I released my breath and tried to stand up again. His grip didn't slacken. I glared up at him, annoyed that I couldn't pull free, but his hands were iron. "What's wrong?" Naruto repeated.

I felt the tiredness pull me under. "Nothing," I murmured, realizing the voice wasn't here, sleepiness blurring my thoughts.

Naruto was staring at me strangely, a skeptical look on his face. "Your shaking," he informed me. It was only then that I became aware of the massive tremors that shook my body.

"Really, it's nothing," my voice sounded like it was on the verge of tears, I bit my lip, trying to hold it all in until they left.

I felt Sasuke release me and touched my fingers to my wet cheek. I was crying. Sasuke was standing in front of me now, trying to catch my eye. "Why did you scream?" his tone forced the truth from my mouth.

"The voice," I said, regretting it the instant I said it. Sasuke's face turned mocking, and his gaze criticized me.

"Looks like the little Uzimaki had a bad dream," he taunted, as he headed out the door.

Naruto gave me one last fleeting glance and a quick "Sure you're ok?" Before following Sasuke out the door. I curled up under the covers, ignoring the sinking moon outside my window, and cried myself back to dream land.

I never really got back to sleep, I just laid there, not exactly unconscious, but still awake enough to be startled by the pounding on my door. I blinked to awareness as I stumbled out of bed towards the knocking. The sun was just a faint glow raising in the distance, it was early. I threw open the door, blinded by the buzzing lights lining the ceiling. After a few moments of rapid blinking I made out the figure of Naruto. I grunted, annoyed that he'd come to wake me up while the sun was still down. "What do you want?" I asked as I took in his "ready to go" appearance.

He looked at me, confused for a minute. "It's almost time for training," he said, uncomprehending. "I was coming to see if you were ready," he frowned, noticing my rumpled pajamas and rat's nest hair.

"Oh," I said slightly softer. I had completely forgotten the fact that I started training today. "Give me ten minutes," and I was off, rushing to the bath room with an arm full of clothes, leaving Naruto standing in the door.

Traumatic events do have a tendency to mess with your memory, but still I couldn't believe that I had over slept on my fist day. I threw on a pair of orange soffe shorts, pulling a black half jacket over my matching tank top. I attempted to comb through my hair but quickly decided that it was hopeless and tied it back.

As I brushed my teeth I thought about last night, and how vivid it had all seemed. I couldn't come to any other explanation than it was all just a bad dream. Which brought me back to waking up screaming in bed with Sasuke and Naruto strangling me. Uhggggg, I had been such a mess, crying and all, I could feel an embarrassed blush creeping up my neck. And you just _had _to ramble on about the voice, I scolded myself. As far as Sasuke went, I had pretty much ruined my chances at ever being treated as his equal.

I spat and rinsed, hurrying out of the bathroom to find Naruto sitting on my bed. He was starring at the scattered blankets lying all around the floor. The tense expression on his face tipped me off that he was pondering last night as well. I didn't like seeing him like this, quiet, and worried, I walked over to his side and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Ready to go?" I asked softly.

The tense expression on his face evaporated and he smiled. "Yeah," He stood up and grabbed my hand, towing my out of the room. As we passed through the door way I made a promise, I vowed to never let Naruto, or Sasuke, or any of them see me cry again. Because I was not weak.

When I saw Sasuke sitting on the bench at the "training fields" the nervous feeling in my stomach only intensified. He didn't like me, that much I was certain. The question was why. I had never done any thing wrong. Still, he just looked so lonely over there, I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. "Hey Sasuke!" Naruto shouted. Sasuke stiffened for a moment and then deliberately looked the other direction. I stuck my chin in the air, ignoring him as much as he was ignoring us. "Sasuke! I'm talking to you," still, he gave no notice of us.

"Come on, lets go," I pushed Naruto forward, leading him to the bench neighboring Sasuke's. No more than 5 minutes later did Pinky show up, obviously pleased that the only remaining seat was next to Sasuke. She tried, without success, to start a conversation with him, only managing to force one word answers from his mouth. I smiled to myself.

I really did try to listen to Kakashi, it's just that after a forty minute lecture on the different types of jutsus and their origins, I think I had the right to drift a little bit. My eyes fell on the others. I watched in amazement as they flew through the trees, Naruto sending daring glances at Sasuke the whole time. Sakura had her back on them, deep in concentration. Kakashi was right, this was no typical academy. I fixed my eyes on Naruto and Sasuke again, darting like black arrows through the trees…

"Destiny," I blinked a few times, focusing back on Kakashi, remembering were I was. "What did I just say?"

I bit my lip and looked at the ground embarrassed, stammering nonsense excuses until I finally spat out "I don't know."

"That's what I thought," he replied. He looked over his shoulder for a minute, and seemed to make a decision. "Sasuke," he called, a black shape emerged from the trees a split second later. He stood there, silent, not once meeting my gaze.

I looked around myself, uncomfortable with the turn that this lesson had just taken. I noticed that Sakura no longer had her back to the trees, and no girl could ignore the look she was giving me (it was the "touch him and you die" look). I couldn't quite understand what Naruto had meant by "I'm sure you guys will be best friends" but I had to go with it any ways. "I've got to run an eron. while I'm gone would you mind working with Destiny on her tijutsu?" I tried to make myself smaller, and not notice the annoyed look on Sasuke's face, or the shade of red that Sakura was turning. But the stern stare on Kakashi's face confirmed my suspicions that Sasuke didn't have a choice. Kakashi started giving directions to Sasuke. I wrapped my arms around myself, and wished that I could think of something to say, wished that Naruto could train me, or anybody for that matter, just not Sasuke. Then again, they do say to be careful what you wish for.

"Excuse me," Sakura cut Kakashi off, and I noticed that her cheeks were the same shade of red as her dress. It wasn't a blush, she was mad, and even she could hear it clearly in her voice She paused a minute to get herself under control. The others were looking at her now, and she seemed to realize that. "I think that maybe it would be best if I worked with Destiny," she fidgeted with the hem of her dress, obviously nervous. "Seeing that we're both girls I think that I might be able to help her understand the fighting style better," We both looked a Kakashi, each hopeful for different reasons. She didn't want me alone with Sasuke, she was afraid that _he_ might like _me _better the her. That was a stupid fear. I didn't want to be alone with Sasuke either, he intimidated me, and even though I was more than comfortable with girl issues, working out guy problems was never been a strength of mine. "Plus it's a great time for me and Destiny to do some girl to girl bonding," Pinky flashed me a wicked grin, and in an instant I understood what it meant. She had no intentions of teaching me to throw punches, no, she planned to teach me how to dodge them.

I stumbled to the side, narrowly avoiding Sakura's fist. I have to give the girl credit, she was good, good enough to leave me hunched over panting with _would be _purple bruises spotting me. After attending a public middle school for 2 years I credited myself as pretty good with other girls. Then again, at a normal middle school a girl's core classes aren't centered around decapitating the enemy. Normal schools don't train ninjas. I released a loud squeal as Pinky's fist burrowed into my stomach, Sakura smiled, amused. My eyes followed her arm, preparing to jump out of the way at a moments notice.

"Destiny," I threw a pleading look towards Naruto's aggravated voice. "Are you just gonna take that?" I almost shouted back "Ya" but I caught my tongue when my gaze landed on his face. He look outraged, and worse yet disappointed.

"What am I supposed to do?" I shouted back, at the same time ducking from Sakura.

"Fight back," he yelled as if it were the most obvious thing out there. I groaned, and not just because of the sting in my side. Fight back. Ridiculous, how was I supposed to do that? I was up against a ninja girl.

Pinky's hand latched onto my left wrist as she pulled her other arm back for what was sure to be a painful blow. I took one last look at Naruto's tenacious eyes, and stopped fighting it. I let instinct (and Naruto) have it's way. Sakura's hand swung out, and I did the only thing I could think of, I caught it. My fingers wrapped around her hand and I through my body into holding her off, and she took a step back. It soon became obvious that strength wise, we were even. Sweat dribbled down my brow, and I moaned as I adjusted my footing. I felt the sleeve of my jacket sliding up my forearm as Sakura resisted me. I glanced down at my bar arm. Upon seeing it, my body froze up.

Dried, burgundy blood lay smeared over messy, red marks, running the length of my arm. The voice. My defenses faltered, and Sakura took a step forward, yanking me to the side and throwing me off balance. I almost fell, I almost lost. But in that moment I lost control and did the only thing I could. I let go of Pinky, ducked down, and swung my leg around so that it hit the back of her knee, causing her leg to give out and send her flying head first to the ground.

Dust flew all around us, and I used the cover to yank my jacket sleeve down, covering my arm. I stood back up, scarcely noticing Sakura, sprawled out on the ground. I knew it was wrong of me to leave her like that, but I really needed to get out of here. I looked over at Naruto, ignoring his triumphant grin. "Can you tell Kakashi that I don't feel good?" I wrapped my arms around myself. It wasn't completely a lie. I didn't wait for an answer, I just walked away.


	3. Chapter 3

Stained Faith 3

The next few weeks were nothing more than an unearthly blur. I was living in a dream. I can't tell you how many hours I'd spent gazing out the yellowed orphanage window, not seeing anything at all, fanaticizing about the day that I would finally get out, and move to some far off land, and do something. You see, as a child I had been raised in the reality that chances were, I would always be a nobody. They didn't sugar coat it, and tell me that I could be president, no, they told me exactly where I stood in society. But I was a dreamer, and I didn't want to sink into nothingness. So I promised myself that I would do something with my life, the moment I got out of there.

And here I was, stranded in the middle of Japan with a couple of confused ninjas as my companions. Sakura completely loathed me, apparently leaving your teammate coughing in a cloud of dirt isn't the best way to forge a friendship. But I knew it was more than that, it was pride. I might have felt bad for her if her fist hadn't left purple imprints on my skin for two weeks.

Naruto was torn between his duties as a brother, and the fact that he was head over heals for Pinky. As his sister I am obliged to tell the truth, and honestly, he's a idiot. Only a twelve year old boy could be that ignorant to how Pinky started sweet talking him the morning after her "defeat". But even if he stayed oblivious, I could see what she was doing. She was building her army, trying to keep the others on her side. Apparently, Sakura had an issue with other girls any where near her "territory".

Then there was Sasuke. I hated that kid, or at least that's what I kept telling myself. He was always so distant, never caring about anything even moderately important. Sometimes I wondered what he was always thinking about, and what pulled him apart from the rest of us. He was always to cold, and… detached.

Except for that once, of course. As I pulled myself further up the tree I recalled the face that haunted my mind. I could hardly believe that it was only two weeks ago that I had left them all standing there with some lame excuse about having a stomach ach. I'm not sure what had shocked me more, the look on Sasuke's face, or the marks on my arm. Instinctively I glanced down at the pale pink lines running along my left arm. I had come to a basic acceptance that whatever happened that night wasn't all a dream. As long as I didn't think about it to much I was ok.

Japan was a very hot place in the summertime, and being forced to wear a sweatshirt everyday was almost unbearable. Naruto was convinced that I was naturally a cold person, and that was ok with me as long as he didn't ask me to take off the sweatshirt. I relished the rare occasions when I could escape my team and relax in the forest. Summer was reaching it's peak, and I knew that I couldn't keep up the sweatshirt thing forever. I would pass out of heat exhaustion soon. Kakashi had me coming in nonstop, even on the days we had off Kakashi insisted that I come and train. He had the insane goal of trying ketch me up to the others.

I settled myself into a branch in the higher half of the tree. The sun was sinking behind the village. I watched the golden pink clouds, as the colors slowly began to fade away, and the sun disappeared all together.

I sat there for a long time, trying hard not to think, and enjoying to last of my freedom before I was forced to return to training tomorrow. The sky was dark blue now, dotted with little stars. The night was clear. I sighed as I swung my legs around into a crouch. That's when I noticed I wasn't alone.

Instinctively I tried to scream. The figure just stood there, not even fazed by the ruckus I was making. I took a step back wards, forgetting the I was in a tree. In a moment my screams turned from shrieks of one sort of fear, to sheiks of a completely different brand. I flailed my arms, reaching for anything that I could support myself with. A pale hand wrapped around my wrist, and pulled me back to steady ground. My cheeks flushed as I slowly began to recognize the person standing in front of me. Sasuke. "Oh," I said in a small voice. "It's just you," I pressed my lips together, embarrassed. I was thankful for the fact the at he couldn't see the scarlet that my cheeks had turned. "What are you doing up here?" I asked after a moment of awkward silence.

Even in the dark I could make out the smirk on his face. "Watching the sunset."

I decided to leave it. It wasn't till I tried to turn away that I realized his hand still circled around my wrist, my left wrist. I starred down at the pale, bare flesh of my arm. My eyes darted to the heap of my sweatshirt at the bottom of the tree. The pink marks seamed to be taunting me. I looked back up at Sasuke, he was watching me with a questioning expression. I tried to smooth the panicked look off myself.

"What's wrong?" He inquired.

The sad truth is, I'm a horrible liar. My answers were so obviously false that I might as well have admitted the truth. "Nothing," I took special care not to look into his eyes. I didn't realize where I was looking until I saw Sasuke gently flip my arm over, scarred side up. His fingers traced over the pink lines, raising goose bumps on my arm. I looked the other direction, barely containing my nervousness. I knew what it looked like, and I didn't particularly want to spend time explaining that I wasn't emo.

"Little Uzimaki," I ignored to nick name this once. "Who did this?"

I was relieved that I could tell the truth this time, because I honestly didn't know. "I… I'm not sure," I shrugged my shoulders.

"Hmmm," and he left it at that. Once again I looked at our hands, and I noticed for the first time that he was wearing wristbands, or arm warmers, or something. The point was, he had some thing besides a sweatshirt that covered his wrists. I seriously needed to remember that.

The moment grew long, and I remembered something. "Please don't mention the marks to the others," I blurted out, praying that I hadn't caused him to do just the opposite.

He just looked at me. "Why?"

"Ummm," I stammered for a moments, realizing that I didn't have an answer. "Just please don't," It wasn't a convincing argument.

He thought for a moment. "You have to answer a question first."

I flickered my annoyed eyes up at him. "What?" I poorly disguised my anger.

"How did you get those scares?"

I glared at him, debating on how to answer. I knew he thought I was a little crazy, and there was no way that I was going to take the time to prove his point. "I tripped," there, that sounded like a reasonable answer given the fact that he had just saved me from falling out of a tree.

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not stupid."

I looked away from his probing gaze, praying that he would just drop it. Of course he didn't.

"Destiny, what happened," all hints of sarcasm were gone, and the intensity in his voice made me look up. It caught me off guard.

"I… I'm not sure," I stuttered, looking anywhere but at his eyes. Really, I was a horrible liar.

"There's something that you're not telling," anger edged his voice, barely noticeable.

Once again I looked away, trying to control my face.

He muttered something under his breath, and I thought I heard some questionable language. It should have ticked me off, I should have been angry. This wasn't a secret for him to know! But I was feeling strangely num. Sasuke's pale figure silhouetted by the moon resurrected other images, ones that I had been trying to suppress. I remembered that night, remembered how horrifying it had been, remembered how it felt to be so helpless. What was I supposed to say? That some one I'd never met attacked me in my dreams and left scars on my arm? That sure sounded like a believable story, I wasn't even sure that I believed it myself.

"Are you crying?" he laughed, snapping me out of my day dream.

I touched my fingers to my cheeks, and realized that they were wet. Dang, so much for that vow not to cry in front of Sasuke. Again. I glared up at him, I could feel my cheeks flushing in anger. But somehow, that only made the tears fall faster.

"Are you sure that Naruto is your brother? Because aside from the looks you two are nothing alike."

It felt like someone had just punched me in the gut, all the air whooshed out of me. After a moment of deep breathing I looked back up at him, a thousand words in my mouth. I opened my lips to speak, but nothing came out.

"You are pathetic, you can't do anything right. Kakashi's wasting his time, you will never become a great ninja,"

I'd never heard him speak so many words at once before, and it was only fitting that they stung like salt in an open cut. I wanted to scream at him, tell him that he was a jerk… and some other things that weren't so pleasant, but I didn't. Something in my gut kept my mouth clamped shut, and all of the emotions trapped inside.

"Not even Kakashi will be able to turn you into an honorable opponent," he continued. I bit my lip. "But the fact that you are Naruto's twin has given him false hope. He is blind,"

"And you think that you could teach me better?" The words came out twisted, and sarcastic. All of the hate I was feeling trapped within, morphing my words.

He met my eyes. "Yea, I think I could," his words held none of the sarcasm that distorted mine.

"Fine!" I snapped back, glaring through him. If looks could kill…

"Meet me here at sunrise tomorrow," A smirk was creeping up on the edges of his face.

"I'll be there," I practically yelled back at him.

"See you there," and he turned to leave in that mysterious way he has.

"Wait!" I shouted, something had just come to me. "We're training with Kakashi tomorrow," I realized.

He just looked as me "Is that a problem?" I shook my head. "Sunrise," he repeated. And then he was gone.

As I stood there, alone, what I had agreed to finally began to sink in. He was going to _teach _me. I was pretty sure that that wasn't a good thing. After all, I had promised Naruto that I was going to beat Sasuke, not let him train me. The more and more I thought, the more I realized that this was a really bad idea.

Naturally, when I had chosen to climb the tree earlier that day, I had not considered the fact that I didn't know how to get down. I was higher up than I thought. I sat on the branch below mine and started swinging my legs, thinking over the pros and cons of jumping when a voice made me squeak

"You're stuck, aren't you,"

"Stupid Sasuke," I mumbled to myself. "No, I'm fine, I'll be down in a minute. I uh… just don't like people watching me dismount from trees," had I really just said that?

"Just jump," I could hear the smugness in his voice.

So I did jump

I limped the whole way home, internally cursing Sasuke for making my jump. My ankle throbbed, so on the way home I stopped by a vender next to the apartment and bought a roll of sports tape. There was no way I could train tomorrow with a busted ankle, but some how I had I feeling that wouldn't get me out of Sasuke's lesson. Besides, I couldn't give him that satisfaction.


	4. Chapter 4

Stained Faith 4

As I lay in bed the next morning I was having serious trouble convincing myself that I hadn't dreamt the whole incident last night. The odds were against me. What were the chances that Sasuke would decide to train me? Or better yet, what were the chances the I would say yes. I wasn't completely convinced until I tried to stand up, but was forced down by a sharp stab in my ankle.

Sadly, the fact that I hadn't made up the entire scenario also meant that I had to get up early. Or earlier. But first things first, I needed to fix my ankle. I limped over to the bag sitting in the corner of my room and pulled out the roll of sports tape that I had so wisely bought the night before. I tried to ignore the way that the tape seemed to suffocate my foot, and reminded myself that it was for the best. My leg looked mummified, I couldn't see the flesh…

And that's when it clicked. Sports tape can have more than one use, it covers skin. I had some scars that needed to disappear. I hastily began wrapping my arm, much more loosely than I had my leg, giving it breathing room.

I squealed as I danced over to the dresser and dug up all of my tank tops hidden under my mess of long sleeved shirts and hoodies. I ended with pale blue top and white soffie shorts, enjoying the feel of summer.

15 minutes later I was out of there, racing the sun to the top of the tree I had perched upon not long ago. Naturally he was already there, wearing an expression that said he was as confused as I was to why we were here.

"Good morning!" I shouted to him, careful to keep my tone perky.

He nodded in reply. I caught his eyes studying my taped arm.

"Yeah, it works pretty well," I admitted, smiling to myself. "And the summer air feels amazing," I exhaled, enjoying the feel of no sleeves.

"We have about two hours before Kakashi's training starts," Sasuke informed me. "Do you know the boundaries of the village?"

"Ya, why," I was getting a bad feeling about this.

"You're going to sprint around the village,"

I stared at him, not believing my ears. "You want me to sprint for two hours?" My voice was breathy.

"Do you have a problem with that?" The question was rhetorical.

I shook my head. Sasuke handed me two buckets filled with water. I just gawked at him. "What?"

"Don't spill the water, it will help your balance," I fisted my hands around the buckets. They were heavy. "I'll be watching, if you stop you're running more after Kakashi's training,"

Not stopping was shockingly harder than it sounded. My shoulders were killing me, and my legs were wet from the water that kept splashing out of the buckets. I had a killer side cramp, I could hardly focus on the path a head of me. Yet every time I slowed form a sprint Sasuke would appear and threaten me until I forced my legs to move faster. The ground was hard, and uneven, filled with dips and bumps. So when I ended up on the ground dripping with water it should have come as no surprise. Sasuke was there in an instant.

"Get up," He commanded. I pushed my self to my knees, and slowly to my feet. My burning thighs felt like Jell-O. No sooner had I stood up than I was back on the ground. He sighed. "Push ups till I'm back, no stopping," And he was gone, along with the buckets.

In the week state I was in, I could barely pull myself to a push up position without collapsing. Consequently I only managed to lower and raise myself a couple of times.

I didn't hear Sasuke return, so his voice had me flat on my face. "Straighten your back," He barked. I tried, but only managed to flop back down. "Give me fifty good push ups, then you can go to training. We have 10 minutes to get there, and I'm sure that if you're late Kakashi will be glad to let you run around the village a couple times,"

I closed my eyes. "Sasuke…I, I…I can't," I stopped, realizing what I was saying. I couldn't give up, no matter how much I might want to.

"It's not over until you give up," And Sasuke sat down right there on the grass and watched me.

I took a deep breath and forced myself to the right position. Ignoring my shaking arms I lowered myself to the grass, focusing on my breathing instead. They were probably the longest 5 minutes of my life, but the moment my body hit the grass I couldn't help but smile. I was done.

I was only 3 minutes late to training, Sasuke had ditched me and forced my the run to the rest of the way. But I was here, here for a full day of pain, and I knew it. I couldn't help but roll my eyes when Pinky started snickering at my wet, mud smeared appearance. I new what I looked like, and it wasn't a pretty sight.

"What happened to you?" Naruto asked as we stretched out.

"I um…" Should I tell him? Did Sasuke want them to know? Chances were, no. I shot Sasuke a pleading glance, which Sakura didn't miss. "I went for a walk!" I blurted. "What?" I picked apart Sakura's skeptical glance. "I slipped," I hoped the likeliness of this story made up for the obviousness of my fib.

"Ok everyone, lets warm up with 3 laps around the village," Kakashi instructed. I groaned, just load enough for Kakashi to hear. "Would you prefer 4?"

"No, 3 is just fine!" I pushed myself to my feet, smiling to big. "Let's go!" But of course, they were already out of sight.

Training wound down with the setting sun. I was turned, ready to go when someone called my name. Sasuke. "Ya?" I shouted back, not bothering to turn around.

"Where do you think you're going?" I didn't like the taunting in his words.

"Um… home?" I turned around. There was a big fat sneer on his face.

"Think again,"

By the time I had unlocked my apartment, I was sure that unless I sat down in the next 5 minutes I would faint. I was right. The moment my head hit the pillow my muscles relaxed into a goopy pool of Jell-O. I couldn't make myself move, I didn't want to move. So in a matter of moments I was out.

As I starred at my reflection in the bathroom mirror I realized what a wreck I was. Yesterday's cloths clung stiffly to my body, wrinkled with sweat. My hair stuck up in awkward angles, and I had dirt smeared up and down myself with grass stains on my elbows and knees.

I had forced myself out of bed 20 minutes early, despite my bodies protest. The hot water soothed my cramped, sore limbs. After a battle with my hairbrush and half a bottle of conditioner I managed to make my hair appear decent. I pulled it into piggy tales, letting water drip onto my shoulders. I didn't even bother with make up, realizing that I would only end up looking like a raccoon. The air was dry, so I opted for a halter top over sleeves. By this point I was running late. I grabbed the sports tape on my way out the door and started wrapping as I jogged over to our meeting place.

The next week and a half was much like the first day. I did what ever torturous exercises Sasuke had planned out for me, while he sat and criticized. It seemed that no matter how hard I tried I could never come close to meeting his expectations. I felt each day I was getting weaker, my strength deteriorating right before our eyes. I could feel Kakashi's eyes on me during training, searching for the mysterious answers as to why I was sweaty and dirt smeared every morning at training. But he didn't confront me, which was good, because there was no way I could lie to him. However, Naruto got pretty close.

We were on a morning jog, and the pre sun hours had been particularly brutal. I was on my first lap, the others were behind me (lapping me). I was already sputtering for breath, when my legs gave out. I just sort of collapsed, and tumbled into the ground. Naruto was at my side before I'd even had a moment to sit up.

"You ok?" Once again there was that brotherly concern on his face. I nodded. He held out his hand.

"She's fine Naruto," Sakura didn't like it when Naruto acted like the brother he was. Apparently that bothered her.

Naruto ignored her, and left his hand out stretched to me. I wasn't used to this, when I fell I usually had to pull myself back up. So it threw me off balance. I shot a nervous glance at Sasuke. His look plainly stated "if you take the hand you're in deep trouble tonight". I sighed. "Thanks, but I can get up by myself," I ignored the stiff, detached feeling in my legs and started running. I didn't look back.

People didn't ask about my mud spattered skin anymore, and it wasn't unusual for me to show up grass stained. So when Kakashi told me to go home, wash up and get some sleep, I wasn't sure if that was an insult or not.

"Destiny, you've been working very hard since you got here. And I think a day off with the team would do you some good. So go home, and do whatever pleases you most," He smiled at me, obviously expecting me to smile back. I did, but it felt hard, and wrong on my lips.

_Stupid Kakashi! This means I'll have to spend the whole day with Sasuke. Might as well prepare my coffin now! _I wanted to scream at him. I bit my lip and concentrated on looking pleased instead. "Thanks Kakashi,"

He studied me. "Are you ok? You've seemed stressed this past week,"

I clenched my jaw. "Yeah, I'm fine. It's just adjusting and all. I've still got my days and night mixed around, and everything is still sort of confusing," I was literally lying through my teeth.

"Ok," He sighed, deciding to let me keep my little secret a bit longer. "Go home and get some rest…you need it," Kakashi walked away.

Sasuke had himself propped up against a tree not so far away, just like the first time we'd met. "What time tomorrow?" I asked, fighting a yawn.

"The usual. And come ready, because if you don't have you're heart in it tomorrow it's going to be a very long day,"

I nodded. "I'll be here," And I walked away.

The sound I awoke to was familiar, but distant some how, a faint dream. There was a soft, persistent tapping. I blinked to awareness, and scanned my room for the maker of this noise. My eyes fell upon the window. The sky was an uncharacteristic churning gray. Wet streaks painted my window, distorting the view. It was comfortable, like I said, familiar. It was like home. Not the leaf village, or the orphanage. My real home, the mist village. I fought the surfacing memory, and pushed it back with a more pressing thought, I had to get up.

I dressed to fit the mood. Grey, and wet. I ended in a dull purple tank with washed out, too big grey sweat pants. It was comfy. With my hair in a sloppy bun I headed out, munching on an apple.

I could tell the mood had gotten to Sasuke too when I saw face. It was grim, and determined. I didn't like it. And so the day began. I had never trained with Sasuke for more than 2 hours at a time, and I swear that if I'd had to do anymore I'd have ended up paralyzed. Yet here I was, doing drills in the ran with Sasuke yelling at me like this was a military camp.

3 days ago we'd moved onto chakra control. And even if it wasn't as much physical labor, it was just a tiring. So now, between dodging Kuni's, conditioning for 15 minutes every time my shrunken missed the target, and watching Sasuke ketch every punch I threw at him, I also had to find time to concentrate and "focus on my breathing". Becoming a ninja was definitely no picnic in the park.

Sasuke's negative outlook soon spread over me. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to be at home reading, or playing cards with Naruto or something. But instead I was shivering, dripping wet with a slave driver at my side. The more frustrated I got, the angrier he got. Which resulted in even less water breaks and an extra late lunch.

It was still raining by noon, if anything it was just getting worse. I didn't eat much, I was afraid that it would just come back up later. However, I did manage to shove down a carrot and some water. I needed that. My throat was still parched, and my stomach still hollow, but it wasn't nearly as hard to stand up.

My break probably only last 10 minutes, then it was on to target practice. The sky began to darken, even though the sun was invisible behind a thick sheet of clouds. Sasuke was as eager for the day to end as I was. By this point I was ready to break his pale little neck. I was probably working twice as hard as he ever had! All he did was perch in a tree and yell at me. Does he not care that I have feelings? He was just so rude, and detached, able to push away the fact that I'm human and treat me like a dog! I was done, I didn't want to be treated like this any more. And it was just so hard to sit there like nothing ever happened, and listen to that uncaring voice of his while I fought off tears because he's just so inconsiderate!

"This skill is key, you need to get it, and fast," I just starred at him. "This is the method Kakashi used to teach us to focus our chakra," And then he walk strait up a tree.

I had thought I was beyond shock at this point, but the oddness of this boy standing sideways was getting to me. "How?" I asked, wide eyed.

"Focus your chakra on the balls of your feet. You'll want to take a running start, and mark with a kuni were you reach," He jumped down from the tree.

Was this his secret to flying through the trees? I grabbed a kuni and backed up. This was looking very bad for me. I hesitated, not sure what to do, somehow I knew that I was going to end up flat on my back. "Sasuke…" I mumbled, not sure what to do.

"Just go," I glared at him, he looked bored.

This annoyed me. He was here to _help_ me, not glare at me. "I'm supposed to do this how?" The sarcasm was back.

"Lets see, right foot, left foot," I starred right past him. "Don't tell me your afraid," his words were flat.

That was enough to provoke me. "I'm not," I muttered as I charged toward the tree. I only made it a few steps, then my foot slipped and I started falling back. The shock of my breath leaving my body was audible.

"That was pathetic," Though my head stung, I'm pretty sure the words were the ones provoking the tears. "Even you brother's first try was better than that," He sneered.

I sat up, ignoring the nauseous dizziness. "Are you implying that my brother is a bad ninja?" My words came out raspy, but the venom carried.

Sasuke chuckled. "It's not an implication,"

"Take it back," I growled, rain streaking down my face. My hair was a matted mess, hanging in my eyes.

"Why?" That voice, I hated that voice!

"Naruto is a better ninja than you'll ever be!" That statement ruffled his feathers, and, goal achieved I wasn't sure what to do next.

"Is that so?" He took a step forward. His eyes were narrow, his voice sharp, and slicing.

I had never seen Sasuke outright mad, and it was a strange sight to see that expression on his "Oh so distant" face. It was an expression of rage, and danger, one meant to be feared. I loved it. "Yes, and it's not just because he's powerful. He's honest, and he's faithful, and he _cares_ about people other than himself. Heck, his entire existence it bent around protecting the ones he loves! He's the most selfless person I know!" I spat a him, hopping each word would burn it's self into his mind. No one back talked my brother!

"Your _brother _doesn't care about anything except ramen noodles and becoming _Hokage_," He hissed.

"It's more than I can say about you," I paused to get a breath. Sasuke was standing right over me, looking at me through dangerous slits. "All _you_ care about is yourself, and… power. You don't know how it feels to love, you've probably never loved any thing in your life!" My teeth were clenched shut.

The veins on his neck were now prominent. "My _life_? You don't know anything about my life! You don't have any idea what it feels like to have everything you've ever cared about ripped out of your arms!" He was actually yelling now, his hands fisting and unfisting. "Your biggest loss in life was probably finding out Naruto was your brother!"

"You think I haven't suffered either? I guess that nobody bothered to inform you that I've been living in an orphanage since I was 5 because my family was murdered!" I screamed at him, my anger winning over the tears. "No Sasuke Uchilla, I have suffered, probably a heck of a lot more than you!"

Sasuke seemed at a loss you words for a moment. Apparently whatever he had expected my to say wasn't that. "You don't understand," His words started a whisper, but began to grow in volume. "You're so content living in your own world that your fantasies eclipse reality! The world won't change just because you want it to, you have to force fate to follow your lead if you ever want anything out of life! And right now you're just fate's play thing. You will never amount to anything," The last sentences were flat, and dead. But I knew then that these were the words I would remember most. When I stayed quiet he didn't say anything else. Instead he turned on his heels and disappeared into the dark, wet forest.

The tears came quickly after. I couldn't hold them back anymore, the over whelming emotion was to much. The tears turned to wet, shuddering sobs, I didn't even bother to shut myself up. No one could hear me. No one cared. So salt water mixed with rain water on the ground beneath where I kneeled, as I pondered everything said. "I am not worthless," I whispered to myself, praying that the words could heal the scars he'd left. "I am _not_ worthless," I said a little louder.

The rain was pouring down hard now, washing the dirt from my skin. I looked up at the nearly black sky. And then I remembered. I remembered what it felt like to be helpless, and weak. I remembered what it felt like to watch the ones you love die, right before your eyes. I remembered how it felt to be so completely helpless that attempting to help at all would just add an unnecessary death to the list. And lastly, I remembered my promise, my promise that I would never be that _worthless_ again!

I shook the rain from my body and crawled over the fetch my kuni knife beside the tree, it hadn't even left a mark. I used the tree to support myself as I stood, and after a few minutes of steadying my feet I backed up again. This time it was different, I wasn't doing this because I had to, I was doing this because I wanted to. Maybe that had something to do with why my feet seemed to find a quicker path up the tree. And when my foot slipped, I was ready. I jabbed my kuni into the tree's rough bark, leaving a jagged line. Still, my landing was just as breathtaking as it had been the first time.

I starred up at the gouge in the tree. I had only made it just past the tree's first major branches. Dang, that wasn't good enough. I _needed _to get this, I _needed_ Sasuke to train me. I _needed_ to be ready next time they came!

So I tried again, this time just barely scrapping past my first mark._ Still not good enough._ And then again… The whole time I was powered by one thought, _I am not worthless. _

The rain slowed in time. It was just a light drizzle, me, the darkness, and the forest floor. I wasn't sure how much longer I could do this, my body was beat up bad. I'm sure that every square inch of me must have been bruised. And besides that I rolled my ankle trying to land vs. hitting the ground. I stood up, it hurt.

Beyond me, I noticed a little flicker of the sun, slowly melting into the clouds. It was morning. It took a step back, ignoring the numbing sting in my ankle. I gripped the kuni tight. I _needed _this! As had been done so many times the night before, I ran at the tree. Focusing on my chakra, and The Voice only, I forced myself up the tree. However, I wasn't expecting what happened next. My ankle completely gave out in a rush of teeth clenching pain. I started to fall, and fast. In the spare moment I had I stabbed my kuni into the tree, and kicked off the tree with my good leg, sending me into a spiral of back tucks as I fell. At least I wouldn't scrap myself up on the bark this time.

I couldn't see the ground below me, just a whirlpool of spinning colors. I squeezed my eyes shut, praying that the ground would just ketch me already. The suspense make it that much worse. So when I hit I was surprised I find myself cradled in something warm, and gentle. I opened my eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

Stained Faith 6

The party droned on, with little enthusiasm on my part. I just made my way around the crowd, excepting the various "happy birthdays" good naturedly. Hinata disappeared from my side soon after the party began, following Naruto into the sea of people. Sasuke stuck around a bit longer, but after 15 minutes of awkward silence he slipped away as well.

So I was left alone. As I wadded through the ocean of bodies, I realized that Sakura had probably just needed an excuse to throw a party. I hardly recognized any of the faces pressed so closely to mine. It was packed. Then again, Naruto surely knew them, it seemed he knew everybody in town.

It was easy to get away though, most of the attention was focused on my brother, which bugged me a bit more than it should have. Didn't anybody care about me, did I really mean that little to this village? I was being hypocritical, the fact that I was all alone in a park full of people was getting to my head. I would much rather have the attention focused on Naruto than on myself.

I pushed my way past the partiers, looking for Naruto. I should at least tell him happy birthday. We didn't talk as much as we should, being brother and sister. And me forgetting our birthday sure wasn't helping us get closer. Maybe I would make a card later. But the crowd was dense, and when I finally found Naruto, he was in the heart of his mob of friends. Kiba was there, as well as Shikamarru, and Negi, and Rock Lee… My nerves got the best of me, and I turned to leave. That's when Naruto noticed me.

"Destiny, over here!" He shouted, over the roar of the music. I froze, wishing I could disappear. "Come on, I've got a present for you,"

I faced them slowly, exaggerating each step. They were all so tall, and rowdy, laughing loudly and pounding each other on the arm. I stopped, a few feet from Naruto.

"I was going to give it to you tonight any way," He babbled eagerly. "But then Sakura's thing was really a surprise party… and it's just to perfect," He produced a small, square, cardboard box.

"Thanks," I said, guilt coating my voice. I took the box in both my hands and gently eased the lid off. "Oh," At first I thought it was just a bunch of thread. But as I twined my fingers through it I realized it was a bracelet.

"It's an anklet," Naruto corrected my thought. "I made it myself," That would explain the crudeness of it. "You see, the blue thread is you, because you're so mellow. And the red is me, because… well you know," The excitement in his voice made me feel even guiltier. I was a bad sister. "And see how they're twined together, it's like us," He smiled, proud of his work.

In the pool of my guilt, I did the only thing I could think of. I threw my arms around his shoulders, and squeezed him tight. "Thank you Naruto, I'm going to wear it for ever and ever," I mumbled. "And I'm sorry," Breath, I reminded myself. "I forgot that today was our birthday, I'd have got you something if I knew…" I trailed off, feeling horrible inside.

I jumped a bit when he laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Is that why you look so sad?" He chuckled.

"You're supposed to be mad," I reminded him, relieved.

"Na, wanna get some cake?" He was too nice.

"Um, no thanks, I don't like cake," I responded absently. I would let him be with his friends now.

"Suite your self," And he left, with the crowd at his heels.

The music was loud, and forgne, a beat I couldn't dance to. There was a mosh of people, pressed shoulder to shoulder in the center of the field. Arms flailed, and sleek bare legs swayed to the beat of the music.

I stood there, feeling awkward and not sure what to do. I was on the far corner of the pit, where couples spread out a bit more, slowly tapering into the compressed middle. Slowly, my desire to ditch the party seeped away. If I wanted to, I could just disapear into the mosh. And maybe I would… just give myself into the beat and stop feeling.

One thought was all it took. I pushed myself to the outermost edge, and then shimied my way through the violent dancing. I discovered that standing still was not excepteble, and I usually got an elbow in the ribs or stomp on my foot for attempting it. No, you had to bob to the music, like dog paddleing in an ocean, else you would drown.

But somehow, I still managed to feel lonely in this convergence of teens. All around couples danced, sliding up and down to the overly loud hip hop.

A grinding pit.

That's what this is, I realized with a shock. Suddenly, the close pressed bodies and bumping hips made since.

"Sakura!" Naruto called, sounding disappointed. I briefly glanced Sakura pushing through people, away from my brother.

Poor Naruto. I decided to dance over to where he stood. "Was the cake any good?" I screamed. The next song's base rippled through my feet and up my spine, viberating my insides.

"What?" Naruto screamed back.

I just shook my head and went back to bobbing, feeling pathetic next to all the other girls. They could move in a way that I never could, rolling there bodies in exquisite ways that I would never attempt.

Naruto shouted something else at me that I didn't here. Trying to be polite, I nodded.

Naruto took my hand and yanked me behind him until we were at the outer edge again.

And there was Sasuke, standing with his arms crossed and not even attemting to bob. Naruto grabbed his arm with his free hand, dragging the both of us into in the grinding pit. Now I felt even more self conscious, watching girls in shimmery tops throw there arms around with half closed, seductive eyes, shaking there shoulders. I should be able to do that.

"Dance!" I heard Naruto yell.

My gut clenched. Why was he doing this to me?

When Sasuke didn't turn away, I thought I might melt. "I don't know how!" I practically cried back. Butterflies burned in my stomach.

Naruto cocked his head toward the couple to our left. I felt my face flush bright red.

"Forget it," Sasuke said, turning.

"What? Are you too chicken to dance? Oh, that's right, you can't dance," Naruto shouted.

Sasuke spun around, anger gleaming hot in his eyes. He walked right up behind me, my back pressed into his abdomin, I could feel his breath on my neck. He placed his hands on my hips, our arms touching. He was surprisingly warm, a thin sheen of sweet on his arms, from nerves maybe? No, Sasuke didn't get nervous, he just must be warm.

"That's it!" Naruto laughed. "Destiny, grab his sides,"

I tried to follow his orders, terribly embarrassed the whole time.

"Relax," Sasuke whispered into my ear. "Feel the music and let it move you," He ordered.

I took a deep breath, but when he started rolling his body behind me, I found that I just froze up into and awkward stick.

"It's ok," he comforted. "Just give in to the beat and you'll know what to do." His breath tickled my neck.

I took a moment to close my eyes, feeling the base shake my body. And when he started to move again, I moved with him. At first I left my arms at my side, but as the song progressed I became more comfortable, swaying my hips, and rumpling my hair.

I smiled, liking the feel of him against me. He trailed his fingers up and down my sides, my arms above my head, one teasing my now messed up hair.

I was lost in the music, not conscious of the things I was doing. It was so easy to get lost in my senses with Sasuke.

I don't know how long we danced before I heard his voice at my ear again. It must have been a good half hour, my body was dewed over with a thin sheen of sweat. I kept my eyes closed, as long as I didn't look at the other couples, I could forget what I was doing, and not worry about the stares. After all, this was what Naruto wanted, and since I didn't have a present…

"Open up," he whispered urgently. He had slowed his movement to a stop. I opened my eyes, curious. And then I nearly had a heart attack.

The amused gazes of what seemed to be the entire population of the leaf village met me every direction I dared turn. They formed a tight circle around us, enprisioning me in the music, in Sasuke's arms.

Ya right, Sasuke was at the far edge of the circle, not paying a bit of attention to me. I walked right up to Pinky, and shoved past her, and through the rest of the muttering ninjas.

I marched away, slipping into the shadow of the trees. I wasn't really sure were I was going, all I knew was that I just had to be away from the dance floor. So I was a little surprised when I looked up and recognized where I was. The tree towered above me, the training tree to be exact. I sighed, kicking off the boots and then wrapped my hands around the scratchy old branches as I shimmied up the tree.

I liked this tree, it was friendly. Something sturdy, that would always be there. Something that would never leave me. A friend whom I could always rest my head upon. So many things seemed unstable in my life right now. I was sure to be the laughing stock of the village, dancing close eyed with Sasuke. I didn't know who I was, or who I wanted to become. Every thing inside me was slowly blurring together, creating emotions unrecognizable. Nothing seemed for sure. I pondered what I was even doing here, what purpose did I have in a village of ninjas? Why did I feel so different from the rest of them? Like my whole existence here was just some big joke? Was it just because I didn't grow up in the village, because I was an outsider? Or was it bigger than that, something deep within me that nobody could change?

My gut opted with the second option, I was just different from the rest of them. Whether it upbringing, or some genetic quark, I was not like them.

A soft flutter brushed the branches just out of reach. My heart leaped, and I couldn't help smiling. I looked up just in time to see the last of the feathers disappearing through the leaves.

My smile faded. It wasn't him. I pressed my lips together in a tight line, this needed to stop, and now. My imagination was beginning to get the best of me, I needed to restrain my crazed thoughts. _But does it matter what I think of_, I wondered. My thoughts were mine, a place where nobody could touch me, therefor I'm sure I must have had a little room to fantasize. In the back corners of my mind, no one cared that every time I saw Sasuke's face a thrill of exhilaration shot through me. Or that every time I was alone I couldn't help but wish he would just appear out of thin air. In the back corners of my mind, I didn't have to lie, because my heart knew what I was to afraid to admit to myself.

I cared about Sasuke.

Those 4 little words burned like acid through my ego, leaving me oddly exposed. They left me speechless, a giddy feeling tickling my gut. I tried to shy away from that soft spot in my heart, but the longer I looked away the more unbearable the sensation became. I snuck glances every few minutes, shattering my focus and sending a fresh shock through my system.

Stupid teenage love.

I closed my eyes, beginning to drift, marinating in thought. The sweet sent of the maple was soothing. Cold air tickled my skin, and the prick of the bark I sat upon faded away with my awareness.

And then, very suddenly, I was awake. It might have been the pale hand resting on my shoulder, or perhaps it was the eyes of the stranger on me, but somehow, I was awake, completely oriented.

"You didn't fall out of the tree this time," Sasuke's voice sounded loud in the still night. All traces of music, gone.

I realized that it was his hand on my shoulder, pulling me to awareness. "Mmhum, I must be getting better at this," I readjusted myself, indents of the bark textured my skin.

"Maybe so. But anyways, I just thought I'd let you know that you slept through the entire party,"

"It's over?" A strange gloom layered my tone. I hadn't meant to miss the _whole_ thing.

"Ya, everyone already went home, I just wanted you to know that you can come out of hiding now," He was crouched down on the branch above where I lounged. He slid down into the space at my side. "Anyways, since you ran away…" He drifted off, and for a split second, I thought is was because it was because he was unsure of himself. Then, I realized that he was digging through his pockets for something. "I never got to give you this," He placed a short, droopy fabric, pull string bag in my hands.

I starred at it for a moment, trying to figure out if the bag was the present, or if I was supposed to look inside it. I didn't want to seem rude.

"Open it up, Destiny," He ordered.

I fiddled with the strings, and then plunged my fingers into the bag. They wrapped around something smooth, that slithered through my fingers. I tossed him a questioning glance before dumping the insides of the bag onto my palm. At first I thought it was a pile of purple fabric. But then, as I held it further back, I realized it was two. I picked up one fingerless glove and examined it. The fabric was thin, and sturdy.

"You must be tired of wrapping your arm in sports tape everyday. I gave you two," He explained, "Just incase you're one of those people who feel the dire need to match," He watched me, through cautious eyes.

I picked up the left glove, and slid it on. It fit like a sock up to my elbow. "Perfect!" I exclaimed. "Thank you, I can really use these," As I spoke I slid it off my arm, watching the tiny disappointed glint in his eye. I started unwrapping my suffocated arm, hopping my actions would speak loud enough. "How late is it?"

"It's around 3," He spoke as if it were no big deal. And in his book, it probably wasn't.

"Wow, I better be getting home," I said, a little nervous. I'd never stayed out this late before.

"I suppose so, we have training in the morning,"

I groaned. How many days had it been since I'd trained? "All the more reason to hurry home," I pulled the glove back on, and stuffed the other one in the bag. Then, with a baleful glance at him, I started my slow descent back down the tree.

"Destiny, what does it take to get you to jump?" He grumbled, his voice below me now.

"Sorry, but don't you remember last time?" I reminded.

He sighed. "You're going to be fine, besides, you're a much better ninja now,"

"Sorry," I repeated, "I will not jum-" The word was cut off, replaced by a squeal. The branch which I crouched upon gave out with a loud crack. I was falling, hardly long enough for me to realize where I was going to land, before I reached my destination.

The wind flew from both our lips as my body slammed into Sasuke's shoulders. His figure crippled beneath the force of my weight. He groaned, and then we were both tumbling for the ground.

I don't know how it happened. It just did. When I opened my eyes, I found that I was starring straight into Sasuke's. They were as startled as mine, and for good reason. I was laying directly on top of him, my arms pulled tight around his neck. This simple self preservation instinct left us both in a world of embarrassment. Not only were our bodies pressed together, but so were our lips.

It wasn't romantic by any means. The only emotion this triggered was embarrassment. My cheeks were flushed bright rose, I could feel the heat tearing away at my insides. We starred at each other for a long moment, both of us to flustered to pull away. No, this wasn't how I'd imagined our first kiss, me falling out of a tree and just happening to land on him, diffidently not.

Then again, it's not like it mattered, this was probably the only kiss that I would _ever_ get from him. To bad my guilt wouldn't let me enjoy it. I just sat there, petrified. Finally, he turned his head away. We both drew in deep breaths. I unlatched my arms from around his neck and rolled off him, blushing too hard to look at him.

He stood up beside me. "You're right, you can't jump out of a tree," His voice was calm, and collected again, the opposite of how I currently felt.

"I better get home," I ducked my head under my shoulders, glaring angrily at the ground as I made fistfuls of grass.

"Practice at the usual time," He warned.

I was too distracted to smile. "K, see Ya then. Oh, and thanks for the gloves," I managed.

"Later," And he was gone.

And so I walked home, barefoot, my cheeks flushed with confusion. This night, here, and now, it was a night that I never wanted to end. The anklet tied around my foot and the gloves in my hands were the proof of what I had long been searching for. Proof that I was not alone. There were others, people like me who had never fit in, people who cared about me. Souls that could except that everything I touched went up in flames, but treated me good any ways. That's something that I'd never had before. America seemed like a distant life to me now, one that I never wanted to got back to, because I was home.

Tonight was moonless, the only thing that lead me through the streets was instinct. But slowly, the nights giddiness wore off, and I was reeled back into reality. I looked around myself, at the blank windows starring down from sleeping homes, and the endless pavement stretched out beneath me. That's when I first felt it. A bone chilling breeze danced it's way around me, raising Goosebumps on my arms. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ward off the cold, and the growing panic inside me. My footsteps echoed loudly over the deserted streets, the rhythm picking up as my jog turned to a sprint as I cut over the park. It felt as though something was crouched behind every corner, as if the shadows themselves were pursueing me. By this point I knew that I should have been expecting it, but still, the voice had the same affect as beetles crawling down my back.

I skidded to a stop, knowing it was useless. I felt hideously exposed, standing in the bare middle of the park, without even the trees for protection. Left over streamers danced over the tree tops, ghost's fingers. The voice was everywhere, reaching the farthest corners of my mind. I stood there, crouched over into a fighting position. I could see my hands shaking. All traces of the evening's carelessness were gone.

Soft, demonic laughter sounded behind me. I spun around, dazed. He was there, as I knew he would be. The voice's eyes were melded to mine, and in that instant I was as defenseless as I had been that very first night. He smiled at me, shattering my resistance. "Come here Destiny," he purred, spreading his arms in invitation. A heavy fog laid over my mind. I took a step forward, unable to stop myself, then another, until his chin stood level with the top of my head. I looked away from him as emotionlessly as I could muster, trying to recreate that same board look that Sasuke used so often.

Sasuke! I remembered, grasping at the fading memory. I jerked a mental picture to mind, recalling the boy I'd just kissed, and clung to it like a life vest. If he where here this wouldn't be happening, he wouldn't let it happen. I felt a single tear betray me, sliding down my cheek, glistening in the dark. If Sasuke were here-

My thoughts scattered as a frostbitten hand gripped my chin, yanking my head back so that our eyes met. I couldn't think straight, the snake-like eyes pressed against mine blurred all reason. Pale fingers brushed over my cheeks, wiping away the tears. I tried to look tenacious, and strong, but the mask crumbled beneath his touch. His eyes held mine, numbing my mind, and pulling me further and further away from reality.

"Why are you crying?" His voice was beautiful, the voice of an angel, a voice that I felt I would do anything for at the moment. I just starred at him, not paying attention to anything but his silted eyes as I struggled to answer the question.

There was something that I couldn't remember, something important. A name, or a face, I wasn't sure. But it _was_ important. Then again, how special could it be, when the most important thing in my life was standing right in front of me? I smiled up at The voice, giving up. "I can't remember," I wondered why I had ever felt so afraid of the voice, he was my friend.

The voice seemed pleased with my answer. "Destiny," he called, speaking to me with his eyes. "I can give you what you've always wanted," the words were embedded in my mind as I worked to make sense of them. "I can give you what you need to accomplish your highest goals," he took a step forward, pressing my face against his chest. I inhaled his rich sent, my head beginning to spin. "I can give you what you need most," he placed his arms on my shoulders, holding me there in the moonless night, his gaze was completely focused on me. "I can give you power," the last word hung in the air by a thread of certainly.

He turned me to the side, his left hand pressed lightly to the small of my back, leaving the other hand on my shoulder. He leaned me back until he was supporting all of my weight, my head tilted back and blond hair streamed down my back. I gazed up at his flawless face, smooth, pale skin, rich, chocolaty hair, midnight tainted with lavender, soulful eyes… I already had what I wanted most.

He dipped his head down, so that his face was suspended over mine, a soft smile touched his lips. And then, he lowered his head to the far side my bare neck, and pressed his mouth against the exposed flesh. "Good night, my child," I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes, the moment felt perfect, my world complete… until he bit me.

My body went rigid beneath his grasp. Suddenly, my mind was screaming. Venom seeped through the puncture holes into my blood stream. I pulled myself up, starring at the monster leached onto my neck, blood dribbling down his chin. He looked up at me through the sheets of dark hair covering his face, he seemed to smile. Everything came streaming back and I remembered where I was. It was past midnight, and I was standing in an empty park with my nightmare. The embers of logic stirred within in me, but I couldn't scream, all I could do was stare wide eyed at this creature. He detached him self from my body and took a stepped back.

"It's too late Dessstiny," I took a step back, ignoring the hiss, putting some distance between myself and him. I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face, my breath came in hiccupping gasps. I was such an idiot, how had I let this happen? And worst of all, what had possessed me to listen to him willingly? I was so stupid! Then Sasuke, and Naruto, I had forgotten them, and fallen into the arms of a murderer. I deserved whatever was coming, I deserved to die. "Nobody deserves to die," the voice stated.

I clasped my hand over my ears, forgetting that it was useless. "Get out of my head!" I screamed as loud as I could. I took another step back, my foot caught on something and I collapsed onto the ground into a shivering heap. "Just go away," I whispered, tasting the salt of my tears.

The velvet chuckle came from behind me, but I didn't have the strength to look at him. "I will never go away," he whispered into my ear. "You belong to me now. And no matter where you go, or what you do, a part of me will always be with you. We are one," he stopped, and the only sound was my strangled sobs. The touch of his fingertips to my neck sent the scream flying from my mouth. Electricity seemed to shoot through my veins, I screamed with everything I had. But even the ring of pain coming from my mouth couldn't drown out the words echoing through my mind. "You can't esssscape."

"Who are you?" I sobbed, the words getting stuck in my throat.

"Why child, I am Orochimaru,"


	6. Chapter 6

Stained Faith 6

The party droned on, with little enthusiasm on my part. I just made my way around the crowd, excepting the various "happy birthdays" good naturedly. Hinata disappeared from my side soon after the party began, following Naruto into the sea of people. Sasuke stuck around a bit longer, but after 15 minutes of awkward silence he slipped away as well.

So I was left alone. As I wadded through the ocean of bodies, I realized that Sakura had probably just needed an excuse to throw a party. I hardly recognized any of the faces pressed so closely to mine. It was packed. Then again, Naruto surely knew them, it seemed he knew everybody in town.

It was easy to get away though, most of the attention was focused on my brother, which bugged me a bit more than it should have. Didn't anybody care about me, did I really mean that little to this village? I was being hypocritical, the fact that I was all alone in a park full of people was getting to my head. I would much rather have the attention focused on Naruto than on myself.

I pushed my way past the partiers, looking for Naruto. I should at least tell him happy birthday. We didn't talk as much as we should, being brother and sister. And me forgetting our birthday sure wasn't helping us get closer. Maybe I would make a card later. But the crowd was dense, and when I finally found Naruto, he was in the heart of his mob of friends. Kiba was there, as well as Shikamarru, and Negi, and Rock Lee… My nerves got the best of me, and I turned to leave. That's when Naruto noticed me.

"Destiny, over here!" He shouted, over the roar of the music. I froze, wishing I could disappear. "Come on, I've got a present for you,"

I faced them slowly, exaggerating each step. They were all so tall, and rowdy, laughing loudly and pounding each other on the arm. I stopped, a few feet from Naruto.

"I was going to give it to you tonight any way," He babbled eagerly. "But then Sakura's thing was really a surprise party… and it's just to perfect," He produced a small, square, cardboard box.

"Thanks," I said, guilt coating my voice. I took the box in both my hands and gently eased the lid off. "Oh," At first I thought it was just a bunch of thread. But as I twined my fingers through it I realized it was a bracelet.

"It's an anklet," Naruto corrected my thought. "I made it myself," That would explain the crudeness of it. "You see, the blue thread is you, because you're so mellow. And the red is me, because… well you know," The excitement in his voice made me feel even guiltier. I was a bad sister. "And see how they're twined together, it's like us," He smiled, proud of his work.

In the pool of my guilt, I did the only thing I could think of. I threw my arms around his shoulders, and squeezed him tight. "Thank you Naruto, I'm going to wear it for ever and ever," I mumbled. "And I'm sorry," Breath, I reminded myself. "I forgot that today was our birthday, I'd have got you something if I knew…" I trailed off, feeling horrible inside.

I jumped a bit when he laughed. "What's so funny?"

"Is that why you look so sad?" He chuckled.

"You're supposed to be mad," I reminded him, relieved.

"Na, wanna get some cake?" He was too nice.

"Um, no thanks, I don't like cake," I responded absently. I would let him be with his friends now.

"Suite your self," And he left, with the crowd at his heels.

The music was loud, and forgne, a beat I couldn't dance to. There was a mosh of people, pressed shoulder to shoulder in the center of the field. Arms flailed, and sleek bare legs swayed to the beat of the music.

I stood there, feeling awkward and not sure what to do. I was on the far corner of the pit, where couples spread out a bit more, slowly tapering into the compressed middle. Slowly, my desire to ditch the party seeped away. If I wanted to, I could just disapear into the mosh. And maybe I would… just give myself into the beat and stop feeling.

One thought was all it took. I pushed myself to the outermost edge, and then shimied my way through the violent dancing. I discovered that standing still was not excepteble, and I usually got an elbow in the ribs or stomp on my foot for attempting it. No, you had to bob to the music, like dog paddleing in an ocean, else you would drown.

But somehow, I still managed to feel lonely in this convergence of teens. All around couples danced, sliding up and down to the overly loud hip hop.

A grinding pit.

That's what this is, I realized with a shock. Suddenly, the close pressed bodies and bumping hips made since.

"Sakura!" Naruto called, sounding disappointed. I briefly glanced Sakura pushing through people, away from my brother.

Poor Naruto. I decided to dance over to where he stood. "Was the cake any good?" I screamed. The next song's base rippled through my feet and up my spine, viberating my insides.

"What?" Naruto screamed back.

I just shook my head and went back to bobbing, feeling pathetic next to all the other girls. They could move in a way that I never could, rolling there bodies in exquisite ways that I would never attempt.

Naruto shouted something else at me that I didn't here. Trying to be polite, I nodded.

Naruto took my hand and yanked me behind him until we were at the outer edge again.

And there was Sasuke, standing with his arms crossed and not even attemting to bob. Naruto grabbed his arm with his free hand, dragging the both of us into in the grinding pit. Now I felt even more self conscious, watching girls in shimmery tops throw there arms around with half closed, seductive eyes, shaking there shoulders. I should be able to do that.

"Dance!" I heard Naruto yell.

My gut clenched. Why was he doing this to me?

When Sasuke didn't turn away, I thought I might melt. "I don't know how!" I practically cried back. Butterflies burned in my stomach.

Naruto cocked his head toward the couple to our left. I felt my face flush bright red.

"Forget it," Sasuke said, turning.

"What? Are you too chicken to dance? Oh, that's right, you can't dance," Naruto shouted.

Sasuke spun around, anger gleaming hot in his eyes. He walked right up behind me, my back pressed into his abdomin, I could feel his breath on my neck. He placed his hands on my hips, our arms touching. He was surprisingly warm, a thin sheen of sweet on his arms, from nerves maybe? No, Sasuke didn't get nervous, he just must be warm.

"That's it!" Naruto laughed. "Destiny, grab his sides,"

I tried to follow his orders, terribly embarrassed the whole time.

"Relax," Sasuke whispered into my ear. "Feel the music and let it move you," He ordered.

I took a deep breath, but when he started rolling his body behind me, I found that I just froze up into and awkward stick.

"It's ok," he comforted. "Just give in to the beat and you'll know what to do." His breath tickled my neck.

I took a moment to close my eyes, feeling the base shake my body. And when he started to move again, I moved with him. At first I left my arms at my side, but as the song progressed I became more comfortable, swaying my hips, and rumpling my hair.

I smiled, liking the feel of him against me. He trailed his fingers up and down my sides, my arms above my head, one teasing my now messed up hair.

I was lost in the music, not conscious of the things I was doing. It was so easy to get lost in my senses with Sasuke.

I don't know how long we danced before I heard his voice at my ear again. It must have been a good half hour, my body was dewed over with a thin sheen of sweat. I kept my eyes closed, as long as I didn't look at the other couples, I could forget what I was doing, and not worry about the stares. After all, this was what Naruto wanted, and since I didn't have a present…

"Open up," he whispered urgently. He had slowed his movement to a stop. I opened my eyes, curious. And then I nearly had a heart attack.

The amused gazes of what seemed to be the entire population of the leaf village met me every direction I dared turn. They formed a tight circle around us, enprisioning me in the music, in Sasuke's arms.

Ya right, Sasuke was at the far edge of the circle, not paying a bit of attention to me. I walked right up to Pinky, and shoved past her, and through the rest of the muttering ninjas.

I marched away, slipping into the shadow of the trees. I wasn't really sure were I was going, all I knew was that I just had to be away from the dance floor. So I was a little surprised when I looked up and recognized where I was. The tree towered above me, the training tree to be exact. I sighed, kicking off the boots and then wrapped my hands around the scratchy old branches as I shimmied up the tree.

I liked this tree, it was friendly. Something sturdy, that would always be there. Something that would never leave me. A friend whom I could always rest my head upon. So many things seemed unstable in my life right now. I was sure to be the laughing stock of the village, dancing close eyed with Sasuke. I didn't know who I was, or who I wanted to become. Every thing inside me was slowly blurring together, creating emotions unrecognizable. Nothing seemed for sure. I pondered what I was even doing here, what purpose did I have in a village of ninjas? Why did I feel so different from the rest of them? Like my whole existence here was just some big joke? Was it just because I didn't grow up in the village, because I was an outsider? Or was it bigger than that, something deep within me that nobody could change?

My gut opted with the second option, I was just different from the rest of them. Whether it upbringing, or some genetic quark, I was not like them.

A soft flutter brushed the branches just out of reach. My heart leaped, and I couldn't help smiling. I looked up just in time to see the last of the feathers disappearing through the leaves.

My smile faded. It wasn't him. I pressed my lips together in a tight line, this needed to stop, and now. My imagination was beginning to get the best of me, I needed to restrain my crazed thoughts. _But does it matter what I think of_, I wondered. My thoughts were mine, a place where nobody could touch me, therefor I'm sure I must have had a little room to fantasize. In the back corners of my mind, no one cared that every time I saw Sasuke's face a thrill of exhilaration shot through me. Or that every time I was alone I couldn't help but wish he would just appear out of thin air. In the back corners of my mind, I didn't have to lie, because my heart knew what I was to afraid to admit to myself.

I cared about Sasuke.

Those 4 little words burned like acid through my ego, leaving me oddly exposed. They left me speechless, a giddy feeling tickling my gut. I tried to shy away from that soft spot in my heart, but the longer I looked away the more unbearable the sensation became. I snuck glances every few minutes, shattering my focus and sending a fresh shock through my system.

Stupid teenage love.

I closed my eyes, beginning to drift, marinating in thought. The sweet sent of the maple was soothing. Cold air tickled my skin, and the prick of the bark I sat upon faded away with my awareness.

And then, very suddenly, I was awake. It might have been the pale hand resting on my shoulder, or perhaps it was the eyes of the stranger on me, but somehow, I was awake, completely oriented.

"You didn't fall out of the tree this time," Sasuke's voice sounded loud in the still night. All traces of music, gone.

I realized that it was his hand on my shoulder, pulling me to awareness. "Mmhum, I must be getting better at this," I readjusted myself, indents of the bark textured my skin.

"Maybe so. But anyways, I just thought I'd let you know that you slept through the entire party,"

"It's over?" A strange gloom layered my tone. I hadn't meant to miss the _whole_ thing.

"Ya, everyone already went home, I just wanted you to know that you can come out of hiding now," He was crouched down on the branch above where I lounged. He slid down into the space at my side. "Anyways, since you ran away…" He drifted off, and for a split second, I thought is was because it was because he was unsure of himself. Then, I realized that he was digging through his pockets for something. "I never got to give you this," He placed a short, droopy fabric, pull string bag in my hands.

I starred at it for a moment, trying to figure out if the bag was the present, or if I was supposed to look inside it. I didn't want to seem rude.

"Open it up, Destiny," He ordered.

I fiddled with the strings, and then plunged my fingers into the bag. They wrapped around something smooth, that slithered through my fingers. I tossed him a questioning glance before dumping the insides of the bag onto my palm. At first I thought it was a pile of purple fabric. But then, as I held it further back, I realized it was two. I picked up one fingerless glove and examined it. The fabric was thin, and sturdy.

"You must be tired of wrapping your arm in sports tape everyday. I gave you two," He explained, "Just incase you're one of those people who feel the dire need to match," He watched me, through cautious eyes.

I picked up the left glove, and slid it on. It fit like a sock up to my elbow. "Perfect!" I exclaimed. "Thank you, I can really use these," As I spoke I slid it off my arm, watching the tiny disappointed glint in his eye. I started unwrapping my suffocated arm, hopping my actions would speak loud enough. "How late is it?"

"It's around 3," He spoke as if it were no big deal. And in his book, it probably wasn't.

"Wow, I better be getting home," I said, a little nervous. I'd never stayed out this late before.

"I suppose so, we have training in the morning,"

I groaned. How many days had it been since I'd trained? "All the more reason to hurry home," I pulled the glove back on, and stuffed the other one in the bag. Then, with a baleful glance at him, I started my slow descent back down the tree.

"Destiny, what does it take to get you to jump?" He grumbled, his voice below me now.

"Sorry, but don't you remember last time?" I reminded.

He sighed. "You're going to be fine, besides, you're a much better ninja now,"

"Sorry," I repeated, "I will not jum-" The word was cut off, replaced by a squeal. The branch which I crouched upon gave out with a loud crack. I was falling, hardly long enough for me to realize where I was going to land, before I reached my destination.

The wind flew from both our lips as my body slammed into Sasuke's shoulders. His figure crippled beneath the force of my weight. He groaned, and then we were both tumbling for the ground.

I don't know how it happened. It just did. When I opened my eyes, I found that I was starring straight into Sasuke's. They were as startled as mine, and for good reason. I was laying directly on top of him, my arms pulled tight around his neck. This simple self preservation instinct left us both in a world of embarrassment. Not only were our bodies pressed together, but so were our lips.

It wasn't romantic by any means. The only emotion this triggered was embarrassment. My cheeks were flushed bright rose, I could feel the heat tearing away at my insides. We starred at each other for a long moment, both of us to flustered to pull away. No, this wasn't how I'd imagined our first kiss, me falling out of a tree and just happening to land on him, diffidently not.

Then again, it's not like it mattered, this was probably the only kiss that I would _ever_ get from him. To bad my guilt wouldn't let me enjoy it. I just sat there, petrified. Finally, he turned his head away. We both drew in deep breaths. I unlatched my arms from around his neck and rolled off him, blushing too hard to look at him.

He stood up beside me. "You're right, you can't jump out of a tree," His voice was calm, and collected again, the opposite of how I currently felt.

"I better get home," I ducked my head under my shoulders, glaring angrily at the ground as I made fistfuls of grass.

"Practice at the usual time," He warned.

I was too distracted to smile. "K, see Ya then. Oh, and thanks for the gloves," I managed.

"Later," And he was gone.

And so I walked home, barefoot, my cheeks flushed with confusion. This night, here, and now, it was a night that I never wanted to end. The anklet tied around my foot and the gloves in my hands were the proof of what I had long been searching for. Proof that I was not alone. There were others, people like me who had never fit in, people who cared about me. Souls that could except that everything I touched went up in flames, but treated me good any ways. That's something that I'd never had before. America seemed like a distant life to me now, one that I never wanted to got back to, because I was home.

Tonight was moonless, the only thing that lead me through the streets was instinct. But slowly, the nights giddiness wore off, and I was reeled back into reality. I looked around myself, at the blank windows starring down from sleeping homes, and the endless pavement stretched out beneath me. That's when I first felt it. A bone chilling breeze danced it's way around me, raising Goosebumps on my arms. I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ward off the cold, and the growing panic inside me. My footsteps echoed loudly over the deserted streets, the rhythm picking up as my jog turned to a sprint as I cut over the park. It felt as though something was crouched behind every corner, as if the shadows themselves were pursueing me. By this point I knew that I should have been expecting it, but still, the voice had the same affect as beetles crawling down my back.

I skidded to a stop, knowing it was useless. I felt hideously exposed, standing in the bare middle of the park, without even the trees for protection. Left over streamers danced over the tree tops, ghost's fingers. The voice was everywhere, reaching the farthest corners of my mind. I stood there, crouched over into a fighting position. I could see my hands shaking. All traces of the evening's carelessness were gone.

Soft, demonic laughter sounded behind me. I spun around, dazed. He was there, as I knew he would be. The voice's eyes were melded to mine, and in that instant I was as defenseless as I had been that very first night. He smiled at me, shattering my resistance. "Come here Destiny," he purred, spreading his arms in invitation. A heavy fog laid over my mind. I took a step forward, unable to stop myself, then another, until his chin stood level with the top of my head. I looked away from him as emotionlessly as I could muster, trying to recreate that same board look that Sasuke used so often.

Sasuke! I remembered, grasping at the fading memory. I jerked a mental picture to mind, recalling the boy I'd just kissed, and clung to it like a life vest. If he where here this wouldn't be happening, he wouldn't let it happen. I felt a single tear betray me, sliding down my cheek, glistening in the dark. If Sasuke were here-

My thoughts scattered as a frostbitten hand gripped my chin, yanking my head back so that our eyes met. I couldn't think straight, the snake-like eyes pressed against mine blurred all reason. Pale fingers brushed over my cheeks, wiping away the tears. I tried to look tenacious, and strong, but the mask crumbled beneath his touch. His eyes held mine, numbing my mind, and pulling me further and further away from reality.

"Why are you crying?" His voice was beautiful, the voice of an angel, a voice that I felt I would do anything for at the moment. I just starred at him, not paying attention to anything but his silted eyes as I struggled to answer the question.

There was something that I couldn't remember, something important. A name, or a face, I wasn't sure. But it _was_ important. Then again, how special could it be, when the most important thing in my life was standing right in front of me? I smiled up at The voice, giving up. "I can't remember," I wondered why I had ever felt so afraid of the voice, he was my friend.

The voice seemed pleased with my answer. "Destiny," he called, speaking to me with his eyes. "I can give you what you've always wanted," the words were embedded in my mind as I worked to make sense of them. "I can give you what you need to accomplish your highest goals," he took a step forward, pressing my face against his chest. I inhaled his rich sent, my head beginning to spin. "I can give you what you need most," he placed his arms on my shoulders, holding me there in the moonless night, his gaze was completely focused on me. "I can give you power," the last word hung in the air by a thread of certainly.

He turned me to the side, his left hand pressed lightly to the small of my back, leaving the other hand on my shoulder. He leaned me back until he was supporting all of my weight, my head tilted back and blond hair streamed down my back. I gazed up at his flawless face, smooth, pale skin, rich, chocolaty hair, midnight tainted with lavender, soulful eyes… I already had what I wanted most.

He dipped his head down, so that his face was suspended over mine, a soft smile touched his lips. And then, he lowered his head to the far side my bare neck, and pressed his mouth against the exposed flesh. "Good night, my child," I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes, the moment felt perfect, my world complete… until he bit me.

My body went rigid beneath his grasp. Suddenly, my mind was screaming. Venom seeped through the puncture holes into my blood stream. I pulled myself up, starring at the monster leached onto my neck, blood dribbling down his chin. He looked up at me through the sheets of dark hair covering his face, he seemed to smile. Everything came streaming back and I remembered where I was. It was past midnight, and I was standing in an empty park with my nightmare. The embers of logic stirred within in me, but I couldn't scream, all I could do was stare wide eyed at this creature. He detached him self from my body and took a stepped back.

"It's too late Dessstiny," I took a step back, ignoring the hiss, putting some distance between myself and him. I could feel the hot tears streaming down my face, my breath came in hiccupping gasps. I was such an idiot, how had I let this happen? And worst of all, what had possessed me to listen to him willingly? I was so stupid! Then Sasuke, and Naruto, I had forgotten them, and fallen into the arms of a murderer. I deserved whatever was coming, I deserved to die. "Nobody deserves to die," the voice stated.

I clasped my hand over my ears, forgetting that it was useless. "Get out of my head!" I screamed as loud as I could. I took another step back, my foot caught on something and I collapsed onto the ground into a shivering heap. "Just go away," I whispered, tasting the salt of my tears.

The velvet chuckle came from behind me, but I didn't have the strength to look at him. "I will never go away," he whispered into my ear. "You belong to me now. And no matter where you go, or what you do, a part of me will always be with you. We are one," he stopped, and the only sound was my strangled sobs. The touch of his fingertips to my neck sent the scream flying from my mouth. Electricity seemed to shoot through my veins, I screamed with everything I had. But even the ring of pain coming from my mouth couldn't drown out the words echoing through my mind. "You can't esssscape."

"Who are you?" I sobbed, the words getting stuck in my throat.

"Why child, I am Orochimaru,"


	7. Chapter 7

Stained Faith 7

It was my own screaming that woke me. I sat up too fast, dizziness not helping my confused state. I threw off the damp blankets, frantically scanning the room until I recognized it as my own. I lay back down, waiting for that door to burst open and Naruto to rush in, asking what was wrong. But unlike the first night, he never came. I scrunched up in a small ball, my sweaty hands wrapping around my legs. I couldn't close my eyes, afraid of what I might see. I tried to ignore the thoughts pressing at my mind, and the memories begging to be unleashed, but most of all, I tried to ignore the throbbing in the back of my neck.

Soon the festering worry got the best of me, and before I knew it I was swinging my legs over the bedside and stumbling into the bath room. The light hurt my eyes, I squinted, adjusting to it. The girl who looked back at me was not the same smiling teenage girl as before, no, she looked wild. Her mascara was smudged under her eyes, and her hair looked like a wild mane. But the biggest difference was that while the other girl looked as though she couldn't smile any larger, this girl looked scared to death, her eyes were wide, and it seemed as if she might faint from shock any minute. And that's exactly how I felt.

I took a hesitant step towards the mirror, not entirely sure if I wanted to know what lay on the back side of my neck. My curiosity won over the fear, as I realized I had to look eventually. I glanced down at the still unhealed scratch marks on my arm, and panic bubbled inside me. That was real, wasn't it? Did this mean that I would have bite marks? There was only one way to find out. I reached a trembling hand to the collar of my jacket, briefly noticing that I was in day cloths, and jerked down.

I starred into the mirror awed for a moment, my neck was not the bloody, massacred mess that I had suspected. The skin was smooth, completely flawless. The only difference was an ebony mark, that twisted it's way into flowing patterns upon the flesh. I brushed my fingers over it, feeling how it was set into the skin, resembling a tattoo. I turned the hot water on and started scrubbing at it, my skin became red and flushed, but still, the mark stayed. And that's when I realized something. This was The voice's mark, I was branded like cattle, and no amount of scrubbing could get it off.

I was up early the next morning, I couldn't lay in bed any longer. My nerves were shot, and I could already tell that this was not a day for someone to mess with me. I bought an apple for breakfast, even though I wasn't really hungry. It was hot out, strip-down-to-a-tank-top-and-shorts hot. I shook my hair around my shoulders, wishing that I could take my hoodie off. I wasn't sure if I would make it through the day without fainting from heat stroke. It was just like those first weeks all over again. Sweat was dewing up on my forehead, I had to get out of here. I started walking faster, looking at the ground as I went. This place was loaded with people I knew, people who might pick up on my strange behavior.

But It wasn't them I was worried about, I could lie to them and be done with it. It was my team that worried me. I had always been good at hiding my emotions, something you pick up on when you live in constant tragedy. I could look and act normal if I had to, it's just there's a ketch. You see, the first step in fooling others is fooling yourself, and some how, I knew that no amount of mental counseling could counter what I'd experienced. I even had the mark to prove it. I just hoped that the others didn't pick up too quickly.

I wasn't exactly thrilled about training today, because that meant I had to face Kakashi, the one person who would see through my lie in an instant. I considered ditching, but realized that's not a smart move in a town of ninjas. Even through I denied it, I knew that the best place to hide was in plain sight. That meant no hiding in the forest, no screaming at Sakura, and lastly, not high collared jackets that drew more attention to my neck than hide it. Sasuke knew too much, and he would be suspicious the moment I walked up to him in a jacket.

That's why I spent the rest of the morning caking foundation over the sports tape shielded mark, praying that it wasn't too obvious.

I stayed in as long as I could, hoping to time it so that I arrived just before Kakashi, this way I wouldn't have to face my team. I knew this was an impossible mission, but I had to try, for my sake. I was in too deep, they all knew me too well, Sakura knew that I wasn't her friend. Naruto knew that all I really wanted was to fit in. Sasuke knew… Sasuke knew a lot, and I wasn't sure what I could do about that.

_It's just a mark _I reminded myself. If it was like a brand or something I had no reason to worry, after all, cows live on. But in the back of my mind I knew that it was more, it was a gift. A gift of power. I didn't understand what that meant, but I was certain that whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

However, the most pressing dilemma was the fact that the sun was just now brushing the top of the east plane. If I showed to Sasuke's practice, chances were he would know all by the end of the morning. But if I didn't go… he would probably come and hunt me down, considering he'd warned me about training last night. No. This wasn't going to work. He couldn't know about the mark. The fact that I'd told him that a voice tormented my dreams was enough. Any more insanity and I think we'd both be sick. Besides, I didn't have any desire to share my story. He may be cute. It may be hard for me not to babble around him. But there were some things he just didn't need to know.

This was one of them.

In the end, I opted with the coward's choice. I slid his glove into place, swearing that he would never learn of the mark, and then I sprinted for the tree.

I couldn't stop the blush that colored my cheeks as I approached Sasuke's silhouetted form perched on the tree. A mental image of me latched onto Sasuke's shocked form flashed through my mind. I blushed harder.

"You're late," He commented. He dropped from the tree, landing a foot away from me.

I hardly jumped. "Sorry," I didn't let it show in my voice but, his pointing that out really ticked me off. If he had any idea what I'd been through in the last day…

The rest of the morning pasted with an unfamiliar edge. Small, unexpected things set me off, and I found my self housing thoughts I'd never imagined before. Suddenly, I knew that I could do things, that I had the power to change what I didn't like. I credited this attitude to my lack of sleep.

I didn't belong to any one, and there for I shouldn't have to obey any one. I hastily shoved that thought from my mind. It was stuff like this at had been floating around my head all morning. Sasuke tossed me a kuni. My hand settled around the hilt, my muscles tensed for battle. Sasuke stood perfectly straight, feet shoulder width apart, contrasting with my half crouch. "Try to hit me," He commanded.

I didn't bother restraining my smile. "Ok," And then I charged. My first attack was very direct, all force, straight for his heart. He deflected it easily, throwing me back. This time I was more discreet, aiming for the places it was harder for him to block, his back, hands, side, etc. Every time he deflected my blade.

This is the point were I would have usually given up with a quiet "This is impossible" . But I couldn't bring myself to do that today, I was too into the fight, calculating my best chance, stabbing a swiping. That was about when his determined streak got the best of him. Our blades clashed, and suddenly I was the one defending. He backed me up against a tree, me still frantically attempting to block his blows. My arms were already riddled with bruises and scrapes. His stabs were to fast and furious, that between blocking I was without time to throw in a swipe of my own. Finally, in a desperate attempt to make a mark, I swung for the stomach. He side stepped it, seemingly thoughtless, and pulled his kuni to my throat, gently resting it there.

"Got you," He breathed.

A low hiss escaped my lips. He chuckled, and unpinned me from the tree. I stared at my hand, wrapped tight around the kuni, knuckles white, and realized it was shaking. I hid my hand behind my back, fighting the knowledge that if I struck now, while he wasn't expecting it, I might have a chance.

The rest of the week carried on in a very similar fashion. It wasn't exactly enjoyable on my part. I blamed my lack of sleep for this new found aggressive streak. Suddenly, I found thoughts in my head that had never been there before, and challenges on my tongue that I could barely suppress. Almost like a whisper in my ear, my own personal coach, I had the want to keep up with the others. When we ran laps I was still behind, but not as much as I'd become used to. But perhaps the biggest change, was that I felt I _needed _to keep up, I was fed up with always lagging behind.

And still, nearly every night I would lay awake, studying the texture of the ceiling as I contemplated what was really happening. At first I'd been convinced that it was just my imagination, toying with me. But now I wasn't so sure. I could feel the ghost of the venom, tracing over the brand mark on my shoulder, taunting me. I felt vulnerable, like I was walking on a high wire with a noose around my neck. The faintest breath of wind…

My next incident was exactly one week later. I had been particularly snippy with Sasuke that morning, and now, at team practice, my patience was drained. I could feel Naruto's worried gaze on my back, but I shrugged it off. "Lift your elbow," Sasuke spoke as he walked past me to retrieve his shurukin. I fingered the cool metal throwing star in my hands, but kept my elbow at my side. I could do this on my own. My attempt at

throwing it was pathetic, really, nothing more than a poorly aimed flick of the wrist. It struck to the left of the tree I was targeting, working up a cloud of dirt were it struck. As I pried it out of the ground I caught Kakashi starring at me. I glared back at him, unable to stop myself.

"Destiny, are you feeling ok?" He asked. I blushed, I'd seen the same question reflected in the other's eyes the past few days as well, but no one had ever asked. Now that someone had actually poised the question, everyone was looking at me.

"Ya, I'm fine," My mouth dropped into a wide yawn, which I tried to speak around, "Just really tired," _That was probably the cheesiest thing you could have done, _I scolded, turning back to the surukin. Nobody seemed convinced.

Naruto acted as the ice breaker. "Spread your legs out," He called, criticizing my straight legged stance.

I took a tiny breath, and then schooched my legs a smidge apart, hoping he didn't notice. I aimed again, about to fling it when…

"Oh, and throw it with more force this time," Sakura's shrill voice shattered my concentration. I pressed my lips together, forcing my words in. _She just wants to help_, I told myself.

The other's took it upon themselves to follow her lead in annoying me. I was ambushed by a flood of critiques.

"Steady your breathing,"

"Focus on your target,"

"Remember, elbows up,"

I tried to push the voices out of my head, but I couldn't. It was almost if they were taunting me, seeing how thin I could be stretched. Each voice held a burning reminder of how pathetic my attempts at anything were. They could do it all, they didn't have to _work _as hard as I did everyday, just to find themselves lagging behind even more.

"Straighten up,"

"Extend your arm, then release,"

The voices continued, each pushing me that much closer to the edge.

And finally, Sasuke's "Just throw it already,"

That was what shattered me. I spun around. "Shut up!" I shouted, putting as much venom into my voice as I could muster. He smiled a bit, no, sneered is more like it. My free hand clenched into a fist. Right then, I wanted to hurt him, hurt him more that I'd ever hurt anybody before in my life. "You sit there, surviving in this crusted shell of bitter remorse, never daring to actually _live. _Nothing matters to you except your stupid revenge, and because of that you'll never be able to find it in yourself to let your rotted heart learn to love," My lips pulled back from my lips in a snarl. "Suddenly, I don't blame Itachi for murdering the Uchiha clan," I had struck a nerve, I could tell by the spark of angered pain in his eye. I should have stopped, I knew it was wrong to go on, but I _wanted_ to. "I can actually pity him for putting up with you for all these years, I don't know why he let you live-"

Kakashi cut in. "Destiny that's enough," His voice was final. I rolled my eyes.

"No, it's not," I took a step toward him. "You all need a reality check. We live in the twentieth century, ninjas are pretty much useless. "Sakura," I met her gaze. "I've been itching to say this since the day I got here. I absolutely hate you," Her eyes went wide, and for a moment I thought she might charge me. It was encouraging. "No one here cares about you anyways, you're just a pretty face to them. And don't think I don't know that you detest me too. You house the constant paranoia that Sasuke's going to fall for me over you. And you might be right, nobody could ever love someone as self centered as you," I took a deep breath, and in that time Naruto took up the chance to speak.

"Destiny, what's wrong with you?" I wasn't expecting the harshness in his voice, it shut me up. "This isn't you, I know you. You would never mean any of this stuff," Naruto was trying to hold my gaze.

I starred at the ground, shivering. "Oh you bet I mean it," I was breathing shallowly through my mouth, the intake almost like a hiss. My head whipped up, and I noticed the tension in his shoulders, and the pain in his eyes. I didn't care. "I never wanted a brother," My voice came out soft, but somehow sharper. I spun on my heals, and marched away. I faintly heard Kakashi ordering the others to let me "cool down".

I held it together pretty well until I made it to my room, but the moment the door slammed shut the fragile walls I'd build around myself spider webbed, and the tears came seeping out.

There was a violent burning in the back of my neck. I clasped my hand over it, trying to stifle the pain. A moan escaped my lips. Clenching my mouth shut, I stumbled to the mirror handing over the dresser. I grabbed at the dresser for support, slowly unclasping my fingers from where they were digging into my neck.

The dull light merely accented what I saw. Almost like molten lava, the pattern on my neck pulsed, changing, spreading into more elaborate wisps of flame.

It burned.

I spun away from the mirror, and collapsed on the floor. I'd known it the whole time, but the coward that I was had been preventing me from realizing the truth. The mark was _changing _me. It affected the way I spoke, how I behaved, everything about me. I had no idea what would happen next, what I would do next. Because suddenly, I didn't know myself. Of one thing I was certain, I had to leave. For their sake.

I hesitated out side of Naruto's room, my hand cocooning the door knob. In my other hand, sweaty fingers clasped the letter of apology and brief explanation on why I was leaving. I thought back to the writing of this letter, and my hand jerked tighter over the cold metal. A slap in the face reminder of why I was leaving this place. I recalled the frustration, the way the pen shook when I tried to spell out the word _sorry. _Black splotches of ink smudged the page, and their were indents in the page where I had dug the pen tip in too hard.

And the sad thing was, all I was attempting to do was apologize. I was a jerk. And still, I could hardly bring myself to ask for forgiveness. Part of me just wanted to run, but I also knew that I would live on forever guilty if I didn't at least _try _to make Naruto understand.

I took a deep breath, and twisted the door open. He was asleep, sprawled out over his bed with all the blankets kicked off. I took a silent step forward. He looked so _innocent_, hair fluttered in a gold halo around his face, features relaxed and free of strain. My breath caught. _My words have hurt him_, I realized. Eye's closed, I took a moment to calm myself. Then, almost hurriedly, I tip toed over to his bed side and pressed the letter onto his bed side table. I turned to leave, when I heard my name.

"Destiny?" His voice was a sleepy whisper.

Maybe if I ran now I could make it out before he realized he was awake. No, that would be cruel. This was the last time I would see my brother for a long while, I should at least take a chance.

I softly threw my arms around Naruto's neck, fighting the urge to squeeze as hard as I could, press myself into him so that I couldn't leave without him. The words came from my mouth without my consent. "I'm so sorry about what I said, earlier. Yes it's true that I never wanted a brother, but now that I have one…" I couldn't find the right words. "Naruto, I love you. No matter what I might say, I will always love you," I unlatched my hands from around his neck, realizing that I was getting his shirt wet with all my blubbering.

My tears dried as I sprinted back to my room. If I didn't leave now, I feared that I never would. Once I made it to my room, I closed the door and snatched up the bag resting on my bed. It was a small bag, filled only with necessities. A bottle of water, a change of clothes, kuni knives, and some paper bombs. I wasn't sure where I was going, it just couldn't be _here_. There were too many things that I loved here, too many things that I could hurt.

Sasuke. The name pounded through me heart. He was the one I couldn't leave, the one that my heart wouldn't allow me to let go of. Not that it mattered, I was going to leave him behind no matter what my heart said. I had to. I was leaving because I loved him, because I didn't want to hurt him anymore. I hoped that maybe, just maybe he would understand that truth. But that's the funny thing about love, it doesn't have to work both ways.

I slung my bag over my shoulder, taking one last look around. And then I left. I left the village. I left my family. I left everything that I had ever loved. I left it all for a dark void of unknown, with the intention of never returning.


	8. Chapter 8

Stained Faith 8

Three years. It seemed like an eternity ago. I remembered that night, the pain, the fear, everything. It was all etched into my mind, a memory that would never fade. The month that I had spent in the hidden leaf village had been the best of my life. After years of searching I had finally belonged somewhere. Even if it had only been for a short while, that time was priceless.

Three years. I'd been on my own for three years now. Some might call people like myself rouge ninjas, going from village to village stealing jutsus. And in essence, that's what I did. Except unlike traditional rouge ninjas, I took the time to prefect that jutsu, instead of forging weak, half imitations. It was a lonely life.

"Dessy!" I looked up at my nickname. The rusty haired boy was sprinting through the tall grass around tonight's campground. He skidded to a stop right in front of me, to close to the fire for comfort.

"What?" I asked, startled. Ok, so maybe my life wasn't _that _lonely, I'd always have Caleb, my bestest friend ever.

"The rats," He fingered the sticks leaning over the fire, the charred form of our dinner smoking.

"Sorry!" I grabbed the sticks from him and started to blow on them. "I completely forgot, I was daydreaming again,"

"It's ok," Two tan hands wrapped around the sticks just above mine, stealing them. "They're blacked beyond recognition now," My eyes trailed up his lean arms and followed through his neck. Caleb had a very sweet face, his green eyes like gems, drawing all the attention away from his sharp features. A mop of hair just long enough to fall in his eyes in the front twisted in the slight breeze. He might have been considered handsome by others. But being his best friend, I wasn't aloud to have those opinions. "Dessy?" He waved his hand back and forth across my vision. "Are you ok? You've seemed out of it all day,"

"Really?" Was all I could think to say.

"Listen, I'm going to go get us some take out from the closest village. You go and do whatever it is that you need to do to get you head back in the present," He dropped the rats to the ground. "Maybe you could bury these unfortunate rodents?" He joked.

"Cay!" I shouted his nickname, all the while snatching a rat off the squire and chucking it at him. The thing hit him square in the chest.

"Dessy you're goanna wish you hadn't done that when I get back," He challenged.

"Oh really?" I was reaching for the second rat now.

"However, lucky for you I'm very hungry. So while you char more rats, I'm going to bring us back some real food," This time, the rat missed. Caleb was already gone, the slight bounce of the branch he'd just sprung from the only indicator of his presence.

"Fine," I muttered to myself. I got up and walked over to the rat-lump, kicking it. This was basically how I'd been living ever since I'd stumbled upon Caleb all that time ago, fleeing from his own village as well. According to the law we were both missing ninja. That's why we avoided major villages as best we could.

I took off towards the sky, the opposite direction of Caleb. My path was pretty much without destination, I just wanted to get away from the fire we called our "camp" and stretch my legs a bit.

My wanderings led me to follow the stream weaving through the forest. I stopped, taking the chance to dangle my feet over the bank where I sat. As I dipped my filthy feet in the water, a bit of color returned to the threads draped over my left ankle. After three years, it was a miracle that the thin threads of Naruto's anklet were still wound. They were stretched, and faded to a near gray, but still twined strongly together. If only our relationship were still that way.

I held my hand out, examining my other birthday present. The purple fabric was all snagged up, and stiffened by wear. I wasn't sure why I even wore that glove anymore. Now, considering I was on the run, it didn't really matter that I had a couple scars. I could tell people whatever I wanted, and they would believe.

Turning my attention back to my feet, I realized the full extent of my griminess. After just a few moments of soaking, the dirt that layered my feet had vanished, replaced by the softly tanned skin overlaying my toes. Taking advantage of the moment, I slipped out of my mud spattered clothes, and submerged myself in the frigid stream. I hadn't bathed in a long while.

My hair swirled around my waist, longer now that I had ever worn it before. I usually bound it in a braid and pinned it to the top of my head. My skin slowly paled as the dirt washed away. I caught a brief, wavering image of myself in the watery mirror . I didn't look much like myself anymore. The rounded features of a girl were gone now, replaced by the sharper angles of a woman who has a lived a trying life. The only thing about me that seemed not to have changed were my eyes. They were still a blue that matched almost perfectly with the water. The same blue as those of my twin brother, a trait we would forever share.

My heart twanged just a tiny bit. No, I sighed. Destiny may have been my past, but she wasn't my present or my future. I was Dess now, or Dessy in Caleb's case. But not Destiny. That girl was gone, left behind with the hidden leaf village. Destiny was all things painful in my life, memories that I didn't care to recall. Dess was a new start, a new life for a tortured soul.

I moved onto washing my clothes. They dried quickly as I sprinted through the air, the wind giving my hair a ruffled edge. Caleb was probably back at camp by now, impatiently guarding the takeout. I was nearly to camp when I heard them, voices echoing off the trees. I slowed, curious. We were usually very careful to camp in places that stayed uninhabited. They were loud, shouted voices, and just to the right of camp.

As I followed, the voices grew, over whelming wherever they nested. Quite suddenly, the trees broke off. I landed with a thud on the dusty, heat cracked ground, raising a cloud of filth. The voices cut off, and I as I looked around I discovered I was crouched in a small clearing.

Naruto!

I zeroed in on the figure standing just to my left. Even with that uncharacteristic look of shock on his face, I still recognized him. He hadn't changed nearly as much as I had, but still, some features were out of place. He looked sterner, eyes older somehow. His height and such I could deal with, it was his voice that shocked me.

"Destiny?" It had deepened, making my eyes widen.

I didn't care. I ran at him, full speed, and threw my arms around his shoulders. "Naruto! What are you doing here? I've missed you so much," I babbled on like that, squeezing as hard as I could. He squeezed back, murmuring words in my ear that I didn't understand. Naruto was surprisingly sturdy, and it shocked me a bit when he just picked me up and held me away from him. I looked at him again, noticing the glint of determination in his eye, tinged with a bit of confused joy.

"Destiny, get behind me," I recognized as the phrase he chanted. He released me, and stepped in front of me, blocking my view of what stood ahead of him. His arms were outspread, battered with bruises and scrapes. He panted heavily, sweat soaking his hair.

"What's going on?" I asked, feeling defensive at being shoved behind someone. I could take care of myself now.

Someone laughed. Adrenaline shot through me, I knew that laugh. "Who's your little friend?" My heart hammered in my chest. Nervously, I stepped around Naruto. There, on the opposite side of the clearing, stood Sasuke, looking just as battered as Naruto.

I hardly noticed the way Naruto called my name as I raced across the field. Without thought, I threw myself at Sasuke, latching onto him, much like I had with my own brother. Sasuke was tall, so my head was about level with his chest. He was also broader than when we'd last met, and I couldn't quite get my arms all the way around his shoulders. But unlike my brother, he didn't hug back. He just stood there, hard as any ice sculpture.

I stepped back looking at him. "Sasuke, it's me, Destiny. Don't you remember me?" He looked so much _older_, wrapped in a thin cloak, muscled chest bare. His shoulders tensed a bit at the mention of my name, but then relaxed.

"Destiny get back here!" Naruto yelled. There was desperation in his voice. As I glanced around the valley for the threat that had Naruto so on edge, I discovered that we weren't the only three in the clearing.

Over Sasuke's shoulder, hidden in the trees, a figure moved. The mark on my neck flared hot as he stepped away from the shadows. A soft hiss escaped my lips. The ghostly white skin, the cobra eyes, they were all burned into my memory, chilling my blood as they released a stream of unwanted emotions. I felt my joints stiffen, holding me up in a rigid position as he approached.

"Destiny, _listen _to me!" Naruto pleaded.

"I can take care of myself you know," The anger in my voice was a side effect of the burning on my neck, and I instantly regretted letting my own problems get the best of me this early on.

Sasuke chuckled a bit.

It took a great deal of effort not to snap at him. I couldn't understand why it was so hard to believe that maybe I had grown up a bit since I last fled the village.

"Why hello child," Orochimarru came to stand at Sasuke's side, his eyes, a bit amused, rested on me.

I forced myself to relax my stance. It didn't matter that his voice housed the worse of my nightmares, or that his mark still taunted me to this day, this is what I'd been waiting for, a chance to put Orochimarru in his place. "Long time no see," I casually cocked my hip to the side, the only indicator of my nerves was the pounding of my heart.

"Yes indeed," He crossed his arms. "My dear, where have you been these past few years?" A mencening smile played across his lips.

"Oh, just learning to control my present," I hissed at him. The burning in the back of my neck was almost unbearable, I was fighting the unshakable urge to clasp my hands over it and drop to my knees. And I might of, if I'd been anywhere else but here.

Orochimarru laughed. "Settle down, child," I caught the double meaning in his words. Grudgingly, I focused on nothing but my breathing. The fire faded a bit.

"You know each other?" Sasuke demanded. His eyes were boring into me. I was suddenly overly thankful for the damp, ratty scarf that hid my neck.

"You could say that," I worded my sentence carefully.

"I see that you have yet to explain our relationship," He spoke the words with a threat weaved into the spaces, a warning of what that withheld knowledge was capable of.

I struggled to find a safer subject. "Why are you he-" Sasuke's voice cut through, eager determination laced in.

"What relationship?" He spat the word relationship like it was a curse.

I blushed a bit, both from embarrassment and rage. "I might ask you the same question," Another hot flame forced a soft whimper from my lips. "Sasuke, meet the man who destroyed my life,"

"You put it so harshly," Orochimarru chided.

I ignored him. "Let's get out of here, nothing but pain and misfortune come from this man," I was still angled in front of Sasuke. I grabbed his hand, and pulled, trying to force him away from this horrible man.

Sasuke didn't move. I pulled harder, but still, he resisted. "No," My hand dropped to my side, it was almost as if an electric shock passed between us. I looked at him, wide eyed.

"No's not an option. Neither of us are strong enough to fight him, you don't know what he can do," I breathed heavily, stressed by the dilemma. Each wasted second was another chance in which Orochimarru could to do Sasuke what he'd done to me.

"I'm afraid that you're confused," Orochimarru grinned a slightly triumphant smile. "You see, after you ran from your duties at my side, I had to find someone to fill your space," The blood froze in my veins, and I took a shattered look at Sasuke.

It _couldn't _be, that was impossible. Was Orochimarru really so cruel as to inflict this fate on someone already suffering as much as Sasuke? "No," I murmured, grasping the word close to my heart, and willing it to be true. "No!"

"But that's the thing, Destiny, it was your cowardice that forced me to find a new student," His words wove their way through my mind, suffocating my thoughts.

Sasuke was suffering from the same burning as I did, the same scorching of flesh at the slightest pangs of anger, because of me. If I hadn't run, if I'd been stronger, if I could have put up a fight… the if's were endless. The plain black and white was this, Sasuke was the way he was because of me. "You heartless monster!" I screamed, my voice sounding broken in my own ears.

I staggered back a step, only to bump into Naruto. "Orochimarru, I don't know what you did to her, but you're going to pay," Naruto started to charge, eyes narrowed, and a bubble of energy glowing in the palm of his hand.

Sasuke slid over a step, his stance shifting to defense in front of Orochimarru. I screamed. "Get out of the way!" Naruto snarled at Sasuke. Sasuke raised his hands, and began a pattern of swift, practiced hand motions. Just before impact, Naruto's orb faltered, and then faded.

Sasuke grinned, and my heart dropped. Dark, angry energy blossomed under his finder tips. "You always were weak," He raised his hands high in the air, shadows flickering all around us, cast from the dark sphere cupped in his hands. "Fight me, Naruto Uzimaki," He demanded, pulling his arms apart and heaving a brilliant blast of fickering light at Naruto's quivering figure.

It only took one look, just a glance from the corner of my eyes, and I knew it was true. This man was not _my_ Sasuke. He may wear the same skin, and speak with the same voice, but his heart was gone, devoured by his aimless lust for the revenge that would only bring his more pain. A maniatic sneer distorted his face, his hair twisting in the wind, a product of the jutsu he wielded. And then I saw it, and everything clicked. The motives behind his madman attack, and the aggressive glare in his eye, they all made sense. Creeping around from the back of his neck, a pattern of molten lava flowed over his flesh, burning black stains were it trailed. He was as much a pawn to Orochimarru as I was, manipulated by our emotions until we could hardly recognize them. It didn't make one bit of difference to me.

I lunged in front of Naruto, who sagged down, almost as if he didn't have the energy to fight. That was one I'd never seen before. I had gathered from the markings up and down his arms that he had been fighting for some time before I arrived, explaining this lack of energy. "Let me," Even his voice was weak.

"I got it," I snapped, my hands already working in the familiar motions. I felt the heat quickly gathering under my palms, already beyond my control. There was a brief moment of hesitation, and what I was doing hit me, I was trying to take out Sasuke. But then I was overwhelmed by the tingling sensation on the underside of my hands.

Forearms pressed together with palms facing out, I released the morning star, a jutsu that I had never learned to control. The pure power radiating from the orb that I held was over whelming, melting away my logic. I'd only used this jutsu twice before, paying the price both times. Caleb freaked when he had to drag my unconscious body back to camp.

Already I was beginning to feel it's effects, the way that it seemed to sap the very life from my fingertips reaching up through my body, hunting my heart. Somehow, I knew that if I ever went far enough to draw energy from that deep inside, my heart, that was the last time it would ever beat.

And maybe I already should be dead. It didn't matter to me, whether it be with or without the help of Orochimarru's mark, I was still alive and standing. Surviving long enough to wield the same jutsu again.

Our jutsu's meshed like vinegar and baking soda, an impatient sizzling hiss. The building pressure tangible in the air. The force of his attack was stronger than I'd expected, I took a step back, my defenses faltering a bit. He took advantage, his strange dark light filling the empty spaces.

Hollow. That was how I felt. That brilliant white light bending out toward Sasuke was receding, fading away, devoured buy the more prominent black. Inside me little was left, nothing to fuel the fire. I readjusted my footing, readying myself for the jolst of the onslaught. My white surged harder, as I willed it to keep the darkness at bay. I was well aware that if I didn't pull at now, chances were that I never would. That was the strange magic of the morning star. Once you claimed it, it claimed you, winding it's self around your will, taking away your self preservation, _using_ you.

My knees bent in toward each other, trembling as I fought to stay standing. I started to panic, turning my head from the light, hair whipping my face. This was it, my chance was gone, and now I would pay the price that was demanded. I felt my eyes slide half closed, and the scratchy pull on my shins as I dropped down. The jutsu flickered once. Twice. Three times.

And then I was on the ground, hastily shoved to the side as Naruto settled into a fighting stance, swaying in the direct range of fire, the black enveloping him. Exactly where I'd stood moments before. I screamed, loud, and hard as I watched Naruto's form sail backwards, ramming into a tree. He fell forward, limply slapping to the ground.

I took my eyes off Naruto, slowly twisting my head to Sasuke. Nothing. Not a glimmer of remorse touched his face. I constricted my quivering muscles, pulling myself to my knees. The whole scene continuously replayed it's self behind my eyes, giving me the anger, the strength, to draw energy from the burning at my neck. I forced myself to my feet, keeping my head low. I couldn't look at either of them, not yet.

Finally, I forced myself meet Sasuke's eye. Anger coursed hot through my veins, barely contained. I held my chin high, suddenly feeling like a little girl again, staring into the disapproving gaze of an adult after I'd made a smart remark. I smiled just a bit. It was an angry, short twitch of the lips, but a smile non the less.

"Sasuke," I whispered. "What have they done to you?" My stance was already shifting back into attack mode. I raised my hands, drawing what little strength I had left and preparing to use it, when a voice angrier than my own sounded.

"Destiny, run," Naruto demanded. The pure venom in his voice caught me a bit off guard.

"What?" I wondered if I'd herd right, he'd been out moments before.

"Let me take care of this, go! I'll find you later." His eyes were angery, housing something dark.

When I saw the determination and hatred mixing there, I didn't doubt for a second that he couldn't take care of it. I nodded once, and disappeared into the trees. Savoring the cooling of my shoulder.


	9. Chapter 9

Stained Faith 9

- Caleb -

Dessy was not at the camp. That simple fact should not have bothered me. Regardless, I set the stuffed bag of McDonalds down next to the put out fire. Dessy loved McDonalds, when you were a nomad almost any thing smothered in grease was a treat.

My eyes followed her footsteps to where they trailed of in the trees. I was torn. Dessy hated it when I got protective like this, but I couldn't help it. She was my best friend. I mean sure she was probably just taking a walk or training or something, but this wood was overflowing with criminals, a refuge for out laws.

I took one last look at the McDonalds. Dessy didn't like it when the take out got cold. I would go and find her, probably watching the sun set, and bring her back and we would eat soggy French fries while she made fun of my over protectiveness.

These where the things that I thought about as I followed her path of broken twigs and out of place pebbles. I was probably the only man alive who could track her, but after so my years of traveling together, it was simple, just a matter of following patterns.

I didn't start to seriously worry until her trail back to camp suddenly veered of to the side. I paused, straightening up. She was headed right into the heart of the woods. There was a violent thudding in my chest.

"Dessy, don't do this to me," I muttered under my breath. My hands felt clammy. I'd known it was a bad idea to bring her here, but we hadn't had much of an option. The land of aspens was at our tail, and this isolated patch of outcast haven had offered shelter.

Ice flooded my vision, I felt my knees give out. The memories, and thoughts, it felt as if they were trying to tear their way out of my skull, scraping through my head from the inside out. I saw a brief flash of that face, those dominant silted eyes, of the life he had offered.

I was only one child, one out of hundreds that had been subject to his cruel experiments. I had barely known my parents, just long enough to remember them, and miss them when they were taken from me. I must have been about four when they took me to the nursery, a dark room that smelled of must where all the children lived. I remembered that vibrant terror, the way all of the children would huddle in the corners, praying that she wouldn't see us. The care taker came in once every two days, with a clipboard in her hands, she would pause to study the board, prolonging the moment, before calling a name.

I also remember the fit I threw when they called Aaron's name, my big sister. But it didn't matter how much you screamed, or hard you held onto her hand as they pried her away from your arms, because when you were four, there wasn't much you could do to stop anything.

I didn't see her again for a long while. It wasn't until my own name was called, and I was being escorted to the lab, that we passed a wall of rusted, barred cells. They gave me the creeps. I wanted to look away, but something inside me wouldn't let me turn my head away from wails and moans creeping through the other side of those bares.

I asked a question, and at the sound of my voice, a scream erupted from one of the cells. I made the mistake of looking at it.

Pressed against the rusted meddle was the face of a girl. The face of Aaron. The face of my sister. The skin was doey, a sickly white. Her hair had been shaved off and her lips were chapped to thin, crackling line. Then her eyes, they were glazed over in a way that assured me that she couldn't see us. She parted her lips, and released a long, tattered wail. Her teeth were what caught my gaze. They were sharp, filed down to a needle tip, yellowed.

I watched her until she disappeared behind a bend in our path. And even then, I could still hear her hissing screams. Other faces appeared in the other cells, some reaching out bone thin, taloned arms, swiping at us. Others growling and barring their teeth as we passed.

"I really hate this hall," One of the men muttered. "What was Orochimarru thinking?"

"He wanted some pit bulls," another man responded "so he enhanced the predatory instincts on these experiments and fussed some animal traits in along the way," the man grinned down at me. "I wonder what's in store for you," His wicked smile widened when I started to cry. I was only 5.

And then the memory hit an ice wall. The pounding in my head increased. I forced myself to relax, focusing on the gravel beneath my knees, and the evening air raising goose bumps on my arms.

The pounding faded, and I could open my eyes. I was such an idiot. Not only had I managed to loose track of Dessy, but this also happened to be the base of Orochimarru's experimentation lab.

I may not be able to remember what happened after I walked though that celled tunnel, but I did remember where I woke up, in a forest strikingly like this one.

These woods were Orochimarru's territory. Those of us who had grown up back at the lab knew one simple truth: once a part of Orochimarru, always a part of Orochimarru. And there was no escaping that. I was back here for a reason.

***

- Destiny-

I relaxed my muscles, and took in the scenery laid out before me. It was twilight, golden light painting the forest, balanced by the dark shadows cast. I was streaked in a gown of falling sunlight, the warmth pressing against my bare arms.

"Destiny." Sasuke called my name like he was cooing a kitten out from under the bed.

He expected me to come, knew I would if he persevered long enough.

"Destiny." His voice was patient, calm.

I glared into the sun. His voice, my name, they were like needles under my skin. Because deep down I knew that I would come. Even though it would have been easier to just turn my back and leave, something inside tied me down, tied me to him. I needed to help him.

It was silent for a moment, and then he called my name again. Except this time annoyance seemed to ebb at his voice, hardly noticeable.

I almost smiled. He couldn't find me, he was a blind man searching for a bear in a tutu. My hiding spot was so obvious that only Sasuke and his arrogance would miss it.

I was hiding in a tree. The last place that Sasuke would look for me. After all, hadn't it been helpless little Destiny whom Sasuke had needed to save from the big scary trees countless times?

Of course it was beyond him to grasp to concept that I might have _changed_, or _grown_. No, to him I would always be little Destiny, a child who couldn't take care of herself.

And it was this thought exactly that gave me an advantage. I felt the bark beneath my shoes. I was balanced on the highest branch, towering high above the leaf littered ground.

"Destiny, where are you?" The annoyance was no longer masked.

This time I did smile. With one last calming breath I threw myself backwards, away from the tree, pulling my knees in tight and sending my self rotating back.

I opened up, landing with a slight thump at the foot of the tree, and inches away from Sasuke's face.

He took an involuntary step back.

"And so the student becomes the master," I grinned. It was ironic how these things went, our reunion seeming a flipped mirror of our first meeting.

He did not return my smile.

Rather than speaking, I resorted to touch. Closing the distance between us, I stepped past him, trailing my fingers over his neck.

At a time, an act such as this might have intimidated me. But now, all I could see was the contrast of the black spirals against his alabaster skin. "Why?" I whispered. I was more than certain that he caught the question behind the words. Why was he here? Why was he working with Orochimarru? Why was he _doing _this to me?

"Things change," he stated simply.

Between that cold certainty in his words and what I had just witnessed him do to my brother, those two words were enough to set me off. The forced calm carefully layered over my true feelings shattered. I just couldn't take this any more.

"You know what? You're right!" My voice started low, but grew in volume as my speech progressed. "Things do change. You've changed, you're a total jerk and I don't know why I ever cared about you in the first place. Only an idiot would let Orochimarru use him like that." My voice came out alarmingly high, speeding through the words as I rushed to get them out. "I hate you," I said, forcing my voice back to a speaking tone, once again feeling like a child.

A smile tugged at Sasuke's lips. "Destiny, you haven't changed a bit."

I glared at him, giving into in to all of the anger and frustration swirling inside. And the moment that I gave in, it was over. I stopped caring about Sasuke, about the person that he used to be and the one he was today. I didn't let myself feel anything at all except the rage that was spreading through me like a fatal venom. "My name's not Destiny!" I shouted, jabbing my elbow into his side.

Sasuke is a fighter, the sort of person that you don't pick a fight with unless that's what you really want. Because Sasuke fights back.

He grabbed the underside of my elbow and yanked, slamming me to the ground. I rebounded quickly, swinging my foot around to knock him on the back side of his shins. His legs gave way and he dropped to a squat for a split second, giving me time to bounce back to my feet.

I instinctively grabbed at my side, reaching for a kuni that wasn't there. My weapons and such were stashed back at camp. Sasuke was back on his feet, lounging for me with fisted hands. I dove for the ground, pulling into a tight roll as he opened up into a spread eagle over head, skimming so close that the air ruffled my hair, and tucking at the last moment.

"What happened to you?" I demanded, spinning at the same time, and throwing a punch which he blocked easily.

He returned it with a jab at my gut. "I grew up," He grunted, throwing himself to the side as I kicked. "Where have you been?"

Putting as much weight into it as I could I shoved my shoulder into his chest. "It doesn't matter. What matters is that you deserted everyone who ever cared about you because you're, selfish, and can't seem to comprehend that some people do care whether you live or die," He was hard, my shoulder hurt, and he hadn't ever stepped back.

"I certainly hope that you don't consider yourself one of those who cared, Destiny, who deserted her only family for her own selfish reasons," He sneered, shoving me back.

I stumbled a bit, then caught my balance. "What did you say?"

"I know why you left Destiny. Being a ninja, having someone _care_ about you, it was all to much."

"You think that that's why I left?" I shouted, coming at him again. "Sasuke Uchiha you have no idea why I left, and you better bet that it's a heck of a lot better of a reason than why you left," I aimed for his face, he countered me with a punch of his own.

"Then tell me why, Destiny," he demanded.

To stressed out to think, I just started yelling. " Left because I loved you! Because I didn't want to hurt you! Because I was… stupid enough to believe that you would understand."

"All I got was a cryptic Naruto telling me that you were gone and never coming back," He yelled, jabbing his fist at a different angle now.

"Well that still doesn't testify why you left," My breath was ragged and sweat was dewing on my skin. "You vain monster! What's wrong with you? How could you possibly give into a Orochimarru like that? You didn't even try to fight him!" I screeched. "You had a choice, and you chose to give in, to give into him, to give into your lust for power, to give into that _monster _that burns you skin, night and day!" I glanced down at the black markings just starting to spread over his skin.

A barely contained rage glowed in his eye, a cracking pane of glass with something sharp, just below the surface. "You don't understand!" He shouted, shoving my shoulders from behind.

The golden light from before now fell in blood red streaks across the little clearing, darkness ebbing at the aurora of muted light encasing the sinking sun. Twilight. The time between darkness and light. The small lived moment of balance.

I didn't fight, my body just crumpled beneath me, folding until I rested on my knees, hands pressed into the soil in front of me, supporting most of my weight. The scarf at my neck was untied, dangling over the acid scorching the soft flesh of my neck.

All was silent. A light, summer kissed gust of wind danced through the clearing, picking up my scarf and whisking it away. I watched it twirl away, but made no attempt to retrieve it.

"No," I whispered, training my eyes on the ground beneath my hands. Filth was pressed deep under my nails, and my palms where caked in mud. "You don't understand." The curse mark was bare on my neck. I felt Sasuke's eyes on it, heard his startled intake of breath.

I couldn't look at him. Could. Not. He knew it all now, the whole story, everything. My secret was gone now, blown away with my scarf. And that scared me, made me feel vulnerable, and weak, things that I didn't like feeling. I was an open book, and he was an angry editor, with a red pen in hand, ready to tear apart the plot that I had worked to hard to write.

"Orochimarru…" his voice came out a bit choked, that what made me look up, Sasuke never choked up. "He did this to you?" He asked. His face was drained of blood, and an almost crazed dazed look fogged over his features. I hardly recognized him.

"Use your eyes," I spat.

"I, I'm sorry," He said, keeping the same low voice. "Orochimarru will pay for what he's done to you." The confusion in his voice settled into a hard determination, and when I next looked into his face, all traces of shock were gone, replaced by a cold anger.

I tried my best to pay attention to his words, keep a straight face, and hold my body in that stiff crawl. But despite my protests, a low moan trickled from my lips.

Sasuke looked up from the patch of grass distracting him. Taking in my state, he dropped to one knee right in front of me. "The curse mark, it was never sealed." The shock was back. "Didn't you tell Kakashi of this?"

This only made it worst. I was certain that my elbows would give out any time now and I would fall flat on my face. It was as if someone was trickling acid onto my back, watching the droplets slowly drip over my skin. I didn't want to talk, afraid of what might come out. Instead, I picked a spot in the sky and did what I always did in this situation, I fought it.

"Destiny, stop," Sasuke demanded.

I ignored him, returning to thoughts of Caleb, and Naruto, the people I loved, thought of how they wouldn't want to see me like this. Except, this time it didn't work. Because the one who always pulled me back together, the thought that forced me back into myself, was crouched down right next to me, demanding me to give into the evil force that I had been fighting so long.

"You don't understand, you can't fight it," He nudged.

"Yes, I can," I hissed.

"No." He placed a hand on my shoulder. "Use it," He urged. "This mark, it's a gift of power."

I flinched, recognizing the words from a different night.

He ignored it. "You can do things Destiny, things that no one else can." He caressed the mark with his fingertips. "You don't know what it can do."

"I can't control it," I growled through clenched teeth.

My breathing quickened. Anything, that's what I could do. I could even… no, not that. But if what he said was true, if Sasuke's words weren't the lie I feared… then maybe I could find, and kill the voice. No, that was ridicules, I couldn't defeat Orochimarru with his own curse, could I?

Sasuke took advantage of my confusion. "I can teach you how to use it, how to master it. It doesn't have to be like this, you can control it, but only after you loose yourself in it.' He still stroked the curse.

"The seal?" I demanded, searching for a life boat in these waters.

"Forget the seal, its nothing you want," A flicker of envy showed in his eyes, but I hardly noticed, my thoughts were else where.

Anything. Whatever I wanted.

"I want you to try and relax, give your self over, loose yourself. And most of all, don't fight it."

Another moan escaped my lips. It hurt so much, I couldn't think. I focused on my breathing. Slowly, it steadied. The pain grew hotter, and my nails clenched into the ground.

"Don't," Sasuke whispered.

I released the claw full's of dirt. I was almost gone, to the point of no return. I could feel it building, and even though it hurt, I thirsted for more, more this sweet wine coursing through my veins, healing me. More of this power.

And more terrifying, I wanted to use it, I wanted hurt someone, and not just a slap in the face. But the fear was small, easily trumped by the lust for power.

"Dessy!" My head snapped up at the familiar nickname. Caleb. He sprinted towards us, hair an erratic mess. He eyes widened for a split second, and then shoved Sasuke out of the way, taking his place at my side as he did whenever I got like this. "Dess, it's ok, I'm here," He cooed.

His voice drove all of the fight out of me and I collapsed into a sobbing ball on his lap. "Cay," I babbled, digging my head into his familiar shoulder.

Just over Caleb's shoulder, I could see Sasuke, disappointment coloring his features. I tried really hard to stop the tears.


	10. Chapter 10

Stained Faith 10

"Dessy?" Sasuke's voice was mocking, lacking any of the sympathy that it had shown moments.

I just cried harder. "Cay," I chocked, in a broken, half hysterical cry. My hands fisted around the fabric of his shirt as he pulled me close into his chest, cradling my limp, rag doll of a body.

"Shhhh, its ok," he cooed. "It's all ok, nobody is gonna hurt you."

I glanced down at my arms, and found them speckled in that awful, tar-like black. Even as it retreated, I felt my eyes widen, and an involuntary gasp escaped my lips.

Sasuke chucked.

I glared daggers at him.

Caleb went stiff beneath me, at the sound. His muscles tensed, and he turned to stone beneath me. In one swift motion he was on his feet, myself locked by iron bars against his body. "Who are you?" He hissed at Sasuke.

The moon was high, and slants of light sliced through the branches over head, illuminating and shadowing Sasuke simultaneously. He looked like an avenging angel. The laughter that tumbled through his lips was just as angelic. "Why don't you ask your little girlfriend, Dessy is it?"

Caleb looked at me with confused eyes.

"It's Dess," I sniffed, squirming till Caleb reluctantly set me down. "And I'm certainly not Caleb's girlfriends."

"Dessy, who is this man?" Caleb asked in a tight voice.

I took a deep breath. Caleb and I were best friends, meaning we were supposed to tell each other everything, know one and others every secret. Hehe. I was in trouble now. Because I knew that Caleb was honest, that he would never keep anything from me. I on the other hand, wasn't quite so truthful. I very deliberately blocked my time at the hidden leaf village from mind and mouth.

"Just someone I used to know," I muttered, refusing to look at either of them.

Sasuke chuckled. "Just someone you used to know?" A long forgotten playful tone entered his voice.

I threw Sasuke a warning glance that read "knock it off before I knock you over". I saw him swallow back a mischievous grin. I didn't like this.

"Destiny, have you really forgotten your time at the hidden leaf village this fast?"

Stupid avenging angel! Why did he have to be such a smart-aleck? Was he trying to mess up what little bit of a life that I had? I silently prayed that Caleb wouldn't hate me forever because I had just happened to gloss over the details of the most influential part of my life.

"Sasuke, please," I snapped.

"Dess-" Caleb began. I was actually thankful when Sasuke cut him off.

"What about Naruto?" Sasuke probed.

Even as the words left his lips, I could feel myself freeze over.

Sasuke's body mirrored mine.

Naruto!

There was a long pause in which nobody moved, nobody spoke. I had left Naruto with Orochimarru. Alone. Already weakened, and drained. This was not good.

At last, Caleb broke the silence. "Who is Naruto?" A bit of hurt haunted his voice.

Sasuke responded for me. "Her twin brother."

"What have I done?" I breathed.

"He's not your responsibility," Sasuke muttered, unfreezing. Sasuke grabbed my numb, shaky arm, gave one tug, then disappeared into the woods. I was one step behind him, Caleb replacing my shadow.

"Naruto doesn't stand a chance," I wailed in a spasm of weakness. I pressed my lips tightly together after that. Nobody needed me to add to the drama. Besides, the best way to keep a hold on Sasuke was to shut up. It would only take an instant for him to

change his mind. And I needed Sasuke, he was my last chance of saving Naruto who was no doubt, hardly hanging on at this point.

I suppressed a frustrated scream. What idiot left her beat up brother with a super villain just because he told her to? Boys were stupid, and reckless. Just because he thought he could take Orochimarru, didn't mean he wouldn't be annihilated during the attempt.

"Naruto doesn't stand a chance!" I repeated, louder.

Once again, no one responded with even an "its ok." Ugh! My brother was in trouble, because of my selfish, gullible stupidity, and I could do nothing to fix it!

Sasuke led with a silent authority that only he could muster. I wasn't sure if the sight of him should leave me cringing, or screaming. But watching his shadow trail across the branches in the moonlight merely relaxed my cramped muscles.

Caleb, on the other hand, held a certain urgency about him. He did not travel with the same cool as Sasuke, but rather an upset, betrayed scowl.

My stomach churned. Sasuke leaped into the brush fencing in the meadow.

I ignored the hand he held up, meant to stop me, and burst through the wall of jungle into that small, open clearing.

The meadow was empty.

"Naruto!" I screamed, against my better judgment. "Naru-"

Sasuke's hand slapped over my lips. "Shut up, will ya?"

I yanked his hand away, having to shove with both my arms before he gave up and let me go. "What's the use?" I panted, "Naruto is gone!"

"Since when are you such a pessimist?" He demanded.

"Since my childhood nightmare showed up and kidnapped my brother," I snapped.

Sasuke ignored me. "We should set up camp, they're obviously not here."

"We've got McDonalds back at our camp," Caleb stiffly inserted.

I blinked hard, clearing the blurred memories of Rat Wars and my cooking fiasco that seeped back into my tired mind. "No." I planted my feet.

"What?" Caleb's green eyes went wide with disbelief.

"I can't just leave Naruto. I've got to find wherever Orochimarru took him, and then take him back." I turned to face Sasuke. "Where is Orochimarru's layer?" I didn't try to mask the pleading in my voice.

Sasuke shook his head. "I don't know."

"What do you mean? You've been living here for the past three years." I was at the edge of hysterics. "Where is he?"

"I was just passing through, on a mission. I've never been here in my life."

He was a very smooth liar, that I had to admit. The way he held my gaze, as if he'd tell me if he could…

"Where's Naruto?" I wined, giving up on looking tough. If I had to pout, I would. For Naruto. "Please Sasuke, I just want my brother back. It's my fault that he's gone, and I have to fix this. Nobody else has to come, I'll go alone if that's what it takes. Just point me in the right direction and I'll never bother you again. Where-"

"Dessy?" Caleb cut in. "Lets go back to camp, ok? And in the morning, after we've all had a bit of sleep, I'll take you to Orochimarru." His voice was stiff almost pained.

Sasuke and I stared at him in stunned silence, and Caleb hung his head, his hands clenched and muscles strained.

Sasuke was the first to speak. He laughed. "Like you would know where Orochimarru's layer is."

I couldn't believe this any more than Sasuke, and somehow, joining the mockery seemed the simplest solution. I bit my tongue.

"It's a long story," Caleb continued to glare at the ground.

"I've got nothing but time," Sasuke said.

Caleb pointed to himself, and in two monotone words, forced out "Test subject."

I did not sleep well that night, for obvious reasons. Sasuke was laying right next to me. After three years of certainty that I would never see him again I just happen to stumble upon him and my twin brother battling it out in a meadow, and learn the hard truth the he joined up with Orochimarru. Why was he here? Gosh, for all I knew he could be plotting to hand us over to Orochimarru in the morning. I did not know this boy, not anymore.

Then there was Caleb. Somehow, though it made me sick to even admit it, the fact the he was Orochimarru's test subject made me feel better. Maybe it was the idea that we were both lying to each, so I didn't have to feel so guilty. Or perhaps it was the knowledge that he sort of understood what I was going through.

And most potently, came Naruto. I couldn't shake the image of his grungy face telling me to go. Why had I listened? I was an idiot, a cowered and an idiot. I wished I was more like Naruto, he would know what to do. But as it was, there was absolutely nothing that I could do. Because I was scared. Naruto was fearless, selfless, and powerful. Despite what I'd been telling myself, I was a scared, selfish, weak creature who could do little against Orochimarru.

"Ah, but Destiny, you are not weak," The voice slid over my sweat dewed, clammy flesh.

This was a sensation long forgotten. I had not felt Orochimarru's presence like this since the night he marked me. My nightmare had come to visit. This time I did not scream.

Cautiously, I eased my eyes open. Just as I had expected, I no longer lay surrounded by friends, but rather sprawled out in a dark room on the hard packed dirt. Torch light illuminated the grinning face of Orochimarru.

"Hello, my darling," he cooed.

I stood up, feebly attempting to keep a stern, confident face. "Where's Naruto?"

"Why so impatient?" He purred.

"Just tell me where my brother is," I demanded.

"Hold on my dear, there's no need to hurry." His slitted eyes flicked in the torch light, hinting at something mencening despite the civil surface.

"What do you want, Orochimarru?" I took an involuntary step back.

"Ah," His breath came out like a hiss. "The real question is, what do you want from me-"

"I want Naruto back!" I butted in.

"And," he continued as if he hadn't heard me, "what are you willing to give in order to get that?" That civil looked I'd noted before was thinning, exposing glimpses of his true intentions. He fell silent, leaving an open space for me to respond.

"Listen, I don't have any money, if that's what you want," I nearly cried. "I'm sorry! I think I've got fifteen bucks in my backpack, but that's it, I swear."

The silence stretched on. My fears growing with every passing second. There was no way I could buy Naruto back.

"Destiny, child," He spoke at last, staring absentmindedly at the torch fire. It cast devious shadows over his face. "Money is of no use to me, what I want is of much more value. It is precious, and irreplaceable." He turned his dark, flame infested gaze to me.

"What is it?" I stuttered, mesmerized by the eyes, despite my better judgment.

"It is you, my dear. I will release Naruto in exchange for your freedom." A bit of grin set up against his alabaster face.

I didn't even give myself time to think, but rather acted on instinct. "I'll do it," I murmured.

"Excellent." The burning disappeared from his eyes.

Suddenly, I was swept away from the dark room, and found myself speeding through the forest, Orochimarru's voice narrating.

"You will follow the path that I am showing you and meet me here by sundown tomorrow." A massive mound of stones and overgrown wildlife rested in front of me. They appeared to be the toppled over ruins of some ancient civilization, the occasional column or sturdy wall protruding from the pile. "And lastly, don't bring any friends. I have eyes and ears in this forest, and I will know if you tip Sasuke or Caleb off."

I was suddenly in the torch lit room again.

"Goodnight Destiny," he whispered, leaning over gently blowing the torch out of existence.

All went black.

This time, I did not wake screaming and wailing. I blinked twice, forcing the night's groggy after affects away. It was still dark, with the exception of a disk of fierce light emerging from behind the pines, bleeding pigment and light into the surrounding skies.

The others were still sleeping. Caleb's violet streaked acorn hair lay scattered around his scowling face. Something must be bothering him. I honestly wished I could walk over, shake him from what ever vision he might be caught within, and then make a joke about it. But some how, what I might have done yesterday seemed extremely out of place today.

I didn't let myself stare for long at Sasuke's sleeping form, knowing he would wake, and ketch my guilty gaze. And he just looked so peaceful asleep, no longer tormented by the demons that haunted his day.

Very carefully, I tip toed away from camp, toward the rising sun. I found the edge to a gapping valley, a tiny town nestled in center. The ledge was uneven and rocky, but softened some how by a blanket of sweet scented green grass and the occasional dandelion.

Sun rise, sun set, what did the time between really mean? Sun rise was the prettiest time of day, the start of a new day. The air was still cool, and the birds were singing. I wondered how many more sun rises I would see. When Orochimarru had me, I doubted I'd be aloud a chance to wonder the forest in early morning. In fact, if everything that Caleb had told us the night before was correct, I'd probably end up behind a set of bars for the rest of my life, or find myself mutated into some horrible creature.

I let out a sigh. It didn't matter, Naruto would be free. A harsh laugh escaped my tight pressed lips. Ya right, like I was that selfless. Of course it mattered that I was turning myself over to murderer. Part of me entertained the thought of getting up now and running as far as I could, away from here. And leaving Sasuke and Caleb to deal with Naruto. But that idea was only half hearted. I couldn't, no, wouldn't run again. This was my problem and I had to take care of it.

A twig snapped, the only warning. I spun around, yanking the kuni from my belt and threw full force at the sound maker.

Sasuke plucked the kuni out of the air with one hand, the other supporting a fistful of acorns and raspberries. "Easy there, it's just me." He stabbed the kuni into the ribs of the tree to his right.

My cheeks burned. Had he really just deflected my kuni that easily? "Morning," I muttered.

He didn't return my greeting, but rather walked over and sat down right next to me where I dangled my feet over the ledge. I wasn't sure what to say, all of my words had frozen up in my chest, creating a painful, awkward silence.

"What are those?" I blurted, pointing to the berries and nuts in Sasuke's hand.

"Breakfast," he responded, dumping about half of the mix into my hand.

"Thanks," I responded. "I didn't know you gathered berries." My babble sounded stupid to my own ears.

"Destiny," he began, "Are you ok? You seem stressed,"

I leaned back on my free hand. I wouldn't even bother pretending not to be. "Of course I'm stressed," I simply stated.

"It's not your fault," Sasuke attempted to assure me. "If you had stayed I would have hurt Naruto a lot more seriously than Orochimarru is willing to, and then I would have had to knock you out too and you would both be trapped right now." That was assuring.

"You don't know that," I countered. "If I had been there I could have helped, and maybe we'd both be ok now."

"No Dessy-"

I shot him a venomous glare at the use of my nickname.

"Destiny, sorry. But Orochimarru won't stop at one twin, he would want you both. I've heard Orochimarru speak of Naruto's counterpart, and now I'm sure he meant you. He believes that you posses the same raw strength as Naruto. And if he could mold you, if he could use you, then together, you and your brother would be a force to be reckoned with. A force that he greatly wants to posses." He popped a berry into his mouth, studying the village below.

"That would explain this," I said, stroking the black mark with my fingertips. My neck felt bare without the scarf to conceal it.

"Indeed," He muttered, staring into the sun.

"The only flaw in his plan is that I'm not as strong as Naruto. I'm just a pathetic, weak little girl." I threw my hands in the air, scattering the berries and nuts so that they rained on us.

Sasuke turned from the sun and looked me in the eyes. "Destiny, you are not weak, never believe that you are."

The intensity of his stare caught me off guard. "Yesterday, I couldn't do anything," My eyes stung. "I tried, I tried my very hardest, and all that I managed to do was get Naruto hurt and have a curse mark spasm." I started gathering the fruit in the folds of my shirt, trying not to show the leaking tears. More weakness.

"Destiny,"

I continued to gather nuts, reaching for an acorn at Sasuke's side.

"Look at me," He demanded, placing his hand over my small, fisted one.

I did look at him, out of shock more than anything.

"You are not weak," he spoke slowly. "That mark on your neck is proof." He brushed my hair to the side to reveal the bit of contrasted skin. "Nine out of ten people who receive that mark die instantly." He tucked that strand of hair behind my ear. "And you are still here."

A little "Oh." was all I managed to squeak.

"Promise me you will be careful," he asked in a low clear voice. "Orochimarru will do almost anything to have you now that he has your brother."

"Why are you telling me this? This is the man you betrayed your village for, doesn't your loyalty to him run deeper?" I wondered aloud, regretting it when his eyes shifted from tender to guarded.

"My alliance to Orochimarru has little to do with loyalty, and everything to do with self gain. Orochimarru is the only one who can make me strong enough to…to…" He seemed out of words.

"To kill Itachi," I finished sourly. "But you still didn't answer my first question. Why are you telling me this?"

He pondered that for a moment. "I'm telling you this because I don't want you to end up as Orochimarru's pet. You have a good heart, and that will be one of the first things Orochimarru tries to crush. I know what Orochimarru is capable of, and he will mold you in his hands like wet clay." Sasuke looked genuinely upset now.

"Thanks for the faith," I muttered.

"Well you aren't going to get caught now, are you," Sasuke joked.

I literally lied through my teeth, "Of course not."

And lucky for me, Sasuke only heard what he wanted to hear.


	11. Chapter 11

Stained Faith 11

My gaze accused the sun throughout the day as it inched through the sky. It was taunting me, yellow rays far to bright, hanging directly over head. I couldn't help the obsessive compulsion to stare straight at the sun, a certain paranoia possessed me. It seemed that if I let my eyes stray from the sun, it would zip across the sky and set without my permission.

"Destiny, do you always do that?"

I forced my gaze away from the white light overhead, and starred straight at Sasuke, trying to appear totally sane, as though I hadn't been babysitting the sun all day. Bright splotches blotted out parts of my vision. My eyes hurt. "Yes-"

"No-"

Caleb and I answered over one and other. I glared at Caleb and he shrugged his shoulders. "What? I've never seen you try to blind yourself before." His voice was sour, as if he had been sucking on a lemon.

I just stomped ahead. If he was going to be like that, than I didn't particularly want to be around him. He didn't trot up to my side to apologize, and that was bizarre for Caleb. We didn't usually fight much, but when I was in one of those hormonal moods and left in a storm of shouts and tears, he was usually quick to follow. Ok, so I wasn't crying today, but still, I kept expecting Caleb to rush up to my side, hug me, and tell me he was sorry. I peeked back. I had never seen him this upset before, not since Sasuke showed up…

I returned to my sun watch, and gasped at how much it seemed to have moved in the past half hour.

It was just after noon. Silence blanketed our group like fresh fallen snow. Speaking of snow, the clouds above looked sickly full of it. The sky was a fat, bulging pig's tummy of white. The sun was nearly lost, just a faint yellow sphere behind the lard.

There were only a few hours left of light, and I wanted to be there early. I was still leading the parade, so when I stopped, so did the others.

"Is something wrong?" Sasuke demanded.

"No," I responded, my voice sounding eerily at ease. "I'm just tired of the silence, that's all." Then I turned to Caleb. "And I'm sorry," I said, throwing my arms around him.

"It's not that big of a deal," He muttered awkwardly, not sure if he should hug back.

"Of course it is, you're my best friend." I couldn't let his last impression of me be that I was a brat.

He settled on patting my back. "Um, ok then. I guess you're forgiven if that's what you want." He let go of me, waiting for my release.

I stepped back. At least I'd tried. "Thanks, Cay," I whispered.

"Hurry up you two," Sasuke interrupted, already several steps ahead, sounding slightly disgusted at the use of Caleb's nickname.

I grabbed Caleb's hand and pulled him along after me as we raced to ketch Sasuke.

"Just one question." Caleb breathed into my ear.

"Hmmm?"

"What made you change your mind, about Orochimarru?" We had come to pace with Sasuke, who was not even trying to disguise his interest in the subject, probably convinced that he had been the swaying factor.

_Sell it _I chanted to myself. _Act natural_, I added. It was only logical that Caleb would be curious when I told him that I no longer desired to hunt down Orochimarru after last night's storm. Trying my very best to appear noncaring, I shrugged my shoulders. "Last night, I wasn't thinking straight." I forced myself to look Caleb in the eye, just like Sasuke did when he lied. "My only living relative was kidnapped by a killer, and I feel very responsible. On top of that, Sasuke here," I waved my hands at Sasuke, who rolled his eyes at me. "He must have sent me into shock or something. When I woke up this morning, something clicked and I realized that the whole plan was a death wish."

Caleb bought into my lie no problem, which made me blush scarlet. I had to get out of here, before I blew it. The trickle of a stream saved me. "Hey, would you guys mind if…" I was glaring at the ground, there was no way that Sasuke was going believe me. I took a deep breath and looked up into his smoky eyes, holding his confused gaze. "I think I'm going to take a bath in that stream," I spoke clearly, pointing to the stream.

"No," Sasuke said, sounding a bit confused.

"What?" I panicked. "I'll meet up with you guys later, but I really need to bath!"

"I don't feel comfortable leaving you here all alone," He countered.

"But I'm dirty! I want a bath!" I practically shouted.

"I don't see anything wrong with that," Caleb came up behind me.

"Of course you don't." Sasuke sounded on the verge of yelling at me.

Feeling very weighed down inside, I turned on my heal, and headed for the stream. "I'll see you guys later."

None of them moved. Angrily, I yanked the sandals from my feet. Caleb began to walk away. Sasuke didn't. I threw a shoe at him, then proceeded in unlacing my poncho, leaving me with a tank top and my short shorts. "Get out of here!" I shouted. At that, he disappeared into the surrounding forest.

I counted to 15 in my head, then, I hastily yanked my poncho back over my head, sliding my shoes into place as I laced it. In a matter of moments, I was leaping through the trees, chasing the rapidly sinking sun.

Orochimarru's path was easy enough to find. The trees thickened all around me, pulling me deeper, closer to the forest's heart. The familiar path grew shorter and shorter, leaving me in a sudden, unexpected panic. _Oh gosh, what am I doing? Orochimarru isn't going to let Naruto go, I'm just playing into his slimy hands._ The trail ended, and I was thrust into the scenery of my nightmare.

The runes seemed out of place, beautiful, ancient, and placed in the center of my fears. Moss dotted the fallen city, contrasting stunningly with the gold light overlaying the pillars. The scent of pine trees was thick in the air, which came as no surprise. This little island was like an oasis in a desert of trees. All around, on every side, spruces, evergreens, and an assortment of other pines formed a dense, tightly woven wall of branches and needles.

I stepped past the protection of the pines, head held high, ready to meet my fate. My mind was so absorbed with what was to come, that when my feet crushed something of a much different texture than fallen pine needles, I jumped back in a flurry of panic.

The beat of my heat slowed significantly when I saw the victim for what it was, a flower. Just a plain old dandelion at that. Actually, as it turns out, the whole place was speckled with the weed. Green stems with a white puff dotted the ruins despite the rocky soil.

Roughly pushing the irony away, I marched into arena.

"Orochimarru!" I shouted, praying that my voice wasn't loud enough to alert Sasuke or Caleb. The only response was a long, drug out absence of voices.

Disappointed, I plopped down against one of the taller ruins, it's shadow resting over me. Just as I was about to give up, someone grunted.

My head jolted up. There he was, Naruto! His hands were bound behind his back, and a shock of filthy, shaggy hair fell in his eyes. Another grunt. A white cloth was pulled taunt behind Naruto's barred teeth, used to gag him.

"Where is he?" I asked, chocking of my enthusiasm. If Naruto was here, Orochimarru couldn't be far behind.

More grunting,

I rushed over and untied the gagging cloth. Naruto coughed, and sputtered. "We've got to get out of here, now!" His face was determined.

"Naruto, no! I've got to face him, I can't run anymore!" I whisper yelled, "I can't allow Orochimarru to get his filthy hands on you, and then move on, pretending that nothing ever happened!"

"Listen, it doesn't matter that my capture was your fault, all that matters is that we both get out of here now," He rasped.

My face fell. He blamed me for his capture. For some reason, I had assumed that Naruto would blame himself, and politely over look my role in this.

"Now's not the time for this," Naruto lifted my chin, staring into my eyes. I looked away, unable to hold his gaze.

Naruto engulfed me in a hug.

I didn't squeeze back.

"You didn't mean for any of this to happen, I forgive you," Naruto whispered. He pulled me in closer.

My breath was short, cut of by the strength of his embrace. "Naruto let go, you're hurting me," I gasped.

His grasp didn't relax, constricting tighter instead.

"I'm serious," My voice came out panicked. I finally whipped my eyes to his, pleading. The last of my breath whooshed out in a shocked gasp.

Those eyes, they weren't Naruto's. The clear blue mirrors that I had come to associate with my brother shimmered in a deep, midnight colored lake. But that's not what had caused my body stiffen with fright. A slash of pure ebony dominated the center of the irises, a lone, darned island.

These where the eyes of Orochimarru. And somehow, I knew that this time, I wasn't fortunate enough to be asleep.

I screamed, involuntarily, and the face of Naruto seemed to melt away, as if it were a mask. The man holding me morphed into my nightmare, squeezing me tighter and tighter, until I felt my ribs might snap any moment.

My feet were lifted off the ground, and I was left dangling maybe seven feet off the ground. Orochimarru seemed to grow even as I clung to him, his body expanding beneath my hands in a sickening stretch.

Without warning, the monster dropped me, sending me tumbling to the ground, to weak and out of breath to land properly. I tumbled over the ruins like a rag doll. I blinked my eyes, attempting to clear my twisting vision. At some point, I realized that there was nothing wrong with my eyes, but rather, the world really was changing in front of me.

The trees ringed around me disappeared in a swell much like that of ocean waves, rippling out in all directions. As the swell engulfed its wooden victims, the trees collapsed beneath themselves turning to sand that was whisked away by violent winds. In a matter of moments the forested was transformed into a heated desert. The sky, reflecting the flames that seemed to lick at my knees, was smeared a bloody red from horizon to horizon.

Rather than resting atop a mount of ruins, I now lay atop one of the many violent dunes that shaped Orochimarru's dessert. The wind whipped grains of sand against my face, stinging my flesh. I squinted through the storm at a massive, deformed Orochimarru.

He laughed at my pathetic form, seemingly invincible.

"You said that you would give Naruto back!" I screamed, my voice fading into the howling winds.

"And I shall, my child." His voice was every where, echoing off walls that didn't exist.

"Let him go, now!" The winds knocked both me, and the sand over the edge of the dune, the folding dune attempting to smouther me.

"Do you really care about Naruto that much?" He questioned calmly, ignorant to the fact that I was drowning in his sand. "You hardly know him at all."

"You're wrong," I spat, "I know him better than anyone I've ever met before! I know that he's humble, I know that he's caring, and I know that he's my brother!" I clambered to my knees once more.

"Then tell me Destiny, if you know Naruto so well, which one is your brother?" The storm grew unbelievably violent, pulling the sand into a whirlwind atop the dune that towered above me, threatening to trample me.

As suddenly as it had appeared, the whirlwind disappeared, in its place, where four boys who looked just like Naruto.

"You have one guess," Orochimarru began, obviously enjoying this. "If you choose wrong, both you and Naruto belong to me,"

"You lied to me," I mumbled, studying the Naruto's.

"Why Destiny, I did nothing of the sort. You're going to get Naruto back, one way or another."

I decided not to argue, and instead examined each possible brother from my position, squatted in a great sand trench. All four of them called me, begging, persuading, and pleading with me to pick him. They all looked so much like him, I honestly couldn't tell.

"I'm the real Naruto!"

"Dream on, its me!"

"Destiny, please, save me!"

They're voices all blurred together as the reality that my brother was up their hit me. This was my chance to save him, to set him free. And I couldn't disappoint, not this time.

"Take your pick, Destiny," Orochimarru hissed.

I felt dizzy. This wasn't right, I didn't know who Naruto was. Each seemed as much Naruto to me as the next in line, everyone displaying different traits of his. That one on the right was angry, and determined, ready to bash Orochimarru's skull in. The Naruto next to him sensitive, telling me to leave him and get out of this place now, followed down the line by brotherly encouragement and pleading.

"Well…" Orochimarru chided.

"I can't do this," I stated, not caring how my next words turned into more of a plea than a demand. "I won't choose, you can't make me!"

"Ah, but Destiny, you must choose. The game is no fun if you surrender so easily," Orochimarru towered over me, his white face gleaming against the scarlet sky.

"Ya, well what if I don't choose, what if I refuse?"

"Then you belong me," He concluded.

Naruto was all of the things that stood in front of me, not just one or two. I didn't know what to do.

"Destiny, please!" It was the brotherly protective Naruto. "Get out of here now, I can fight him. Don't give yourself over, not for me or anyone else. I can do this," He pleaded. The clear blue mirrors appeared one hundred percent sincere.

That's when I cracked. The tears welled over as I shouted. "Don't say that! Because you can't do this, not alone at least. Last time I trusted you, last time I left you alone, this is what happened, you got yourself captured, that's why we're here!"

"I'm sorry, Destiny, just know that I love you," He called, in response to both my words and my tears.

"Is this the one?" Orochimarru asked gently.

My tears leaked from my eyes to the hot sand, leaving little, dark holes. I fisted my hands around the sand, and let the grains run through. "Yes," I squeaked in little more than a whisper.

I turned to Orochimarru, expectant for both mine, and my brother's futures. That gentle smile on his face twisted upwards, turning mocking. "Wrong," His voiced boomed.

He raised his arm in the direction of the chosen Naruto, and sent a flash of blindingly bright light at the boy. His body absorbed it, and turned to sand. Shifting his hand to the side one, another light struck the next boy. There were two left, the angry, and the sensitive. With little hesitation, Orochimarru struck down the sensitive one, leaving a cursing, angry Naruto.

I screamed his name, but by the time the wind had carried my voice all the way to the top of the dune, their was no one left to hear it. Only a pile of sand. Orochimarru returned his hand to his side.

"You lied to me!" I shouted, appalled.

"Did I? I told you that you must decide which is your brother. Did it ever occur to you that perhaps none of them were Naruto?" He cooed.

I spat at him, screaming some rather unpleasant words, to angered, and betrayed to leash in my fury.

"Come now, Destiny, this is the start of a wonderful, new life for you."

"No, it's the end. I will never serve you." My voice shook, as the ideas ebbing that the corners of my mind solidified. There was only one option out of this, and unfortunately it excluded any hopes of a future for me.

"Where is Naruto?" I demanded.

"Right here." Orochimarru waved his hand across the sky, painting a shimmering streak which settled into the form of brother. Naruto stood, suspended in the air, arms and legs bound by invisible ropes. His voice didn't seem to work.

I resisted the erg to call his name, I wasn't even positive that this was the real deal, though something about the way he looked at me felt familiar. Regardless, it didn't matter. Whether this be my brother, or another decoy, Orochimarru was going down and wherever Naruto was, he would be free.

You see, something was happening to me. It was as if all the little aspects of my personality were warring against each other, fighting to settle on the person that I wanted to be. I was so confused, so lost. I had no idea who ME was. It seemed that there were so many versions of myself, all of them uniquely me. Choosing one was like picking the right Naruto, impossible.

Staggering to my feet, I wiped the last of my tears from my cheeks with the back of my hand. Almost with a mind of their own, my feet wadded through the sand till I stood level with Orochimarru, a deep sand trench beneath us.

I wasn't quite sure what it was I planned to do, but whatever it was, I had better began fast. The scorching wind twisted my hair away from my face, leaving it exposed. An idea was forming in my mind, hardly the edges of a thought, something so absurd that I had to fight not to trash it all together. I glanced at Naruto, realizing what I was thinking. His face confirmed my fate.

Wasting little time, I started into the hand signals that would end my life, keeping my eyes locked on Orochimarru's the whole time. He grinned.

"You can't beat me," His mouth didn't move, but rather the voice came from inside my head. I shuddered. "I own you, my venom flows through your veins, manipulating your chakra. I am you."

Just then, I finished the complex signs, and letting both my anger and fear flow together, the oh-so-familiar white orb began to form.

I didn't waste time on precautions this time, because I had no intention of surviving this. Instead, I threw everything I had into the jutsu, praying that this would be fast, and that the curse seal wouldn't have a chance to manifest.

As I had subconsciously expected however, the sudden use of chakra extracted the black ink from beneath my skin, and I began to burn. The only difference was that this time, it was a good burn, a burn that strengthened me, magnified my chakra. Remembering everything that Sasuke had told me the night of our reunion, I did not fight the flames, but rather let them lick away at who I was, until I was so immersed in this bizarre hatred that I could see nothing but Orochimarru's eyes.

Strangely, I was not weakened as I had been before. I still stood straight, and my jutsu still burned bright. I pulled my arms back, preparing to thrust the orb with as much power as I could muster.

"You have progressed well," Orochimarru commented, throwing me off guard. "I'm proud of you, Destiny. You have such great potential."

I gritted my teeth together.

"You enjoy it, don't you." He cooed. "The power. The strength. The recognition. You are tied of being treated like a child, sick of being mistaken for a simpleton. I can change that."

The lightning my hands flickered, threatening to fade away.

"You have come so far, you are so much more than you once were. But they can't see that. To Naruto… to Sasuke," He threw in, "you will always be a little girl, incapable of anything more than throwing a tantrum."

"Your wrong," I yelled, though the doubt was clear in my voice.

"Am I?" He demanded. "You see, together, we can prove them wrong. You are strong, Destiny, but I can make you stronger. The curse seal, you see it as an obstacle."

I nodded.

"My venom is a gift, one that you have barely scraped the surface to. I can teach you to use it. The power supporting your life at this very moment is just the beginning. There are three levels of this gift, each only intensifying your chakra. You've hardly discovered the first."

I felt my jaw drop. More than this? What I felt now, the pure invulnerability of it all, was like a drug. A drug that I wanted more of. If what this man said was true, if I could master all three levels, I would be unstoppable. Invincible.

"Come with me." He beckoned. "Rather than live in the shadow of your own brother, cast your own light and let him scurry in the darkness. There is no reason to hide from your destiny any longer," His voice was full of longing, and praise. Something that I had never known.

It invited me, the warm adoration of a father, the love of a mother. Things that the orphanage just couldn't give. The great jutsu in my arms faded out of existence, leaving me in the red cast of the desert sky.

I took a step towards Orochimarru. Then another.

"Yes, come to me," He called, holding his arms wide.

"Destiny, don't do this!" The voice was small, buried deep in my mind. But I immediately knew it as Sasuke's. My feet stopped moving.

"What's the matter child?" Orochimarru questioned.

I ignored his. "Destiny!" Sasuke shouted, his voice getting louder, "Come back!"

"I'm right here," I mumbled.

Orochimarru's face froze up.

"Listen to my voice, you have to come back!" The was voice loud enough to have come from right beside me now.

"Child, ignore whatever thoughts he plants in your head," The man with snake eyes hissed.

"Darn it! I don't care what he tells you, don't believe a word of it, its all lies! Come back!" Sasuke's voice was angry, but for once, not hateful. In fact, there was a slight quivering to his strong voice.

"Come here now!" Orochimarru screeched at me. All at once my thoughts of power and anger fled, leaving me a dizzy, cracking mess.

"What do you all want?" I screamed, throwing my arms around my head as the voices, both rattling the inside of my skull, overlapped.

"Destiny!" They both screamed at once.

I could feel hands on my shoulders, shaking me. I dropped to my knees, struggling, crying.

"Please, just come back!" The hands became more violent, rocking my body back and forth. And the voice that spoke these words had lost all of its fire, left nearly silent and pleading.

I wanted to go with the voice, I wanted to comfort the broken boy on the other side. But I was trapped here, in the desert landscape. Orochimarru pried my hands from around my head and wrapped both my wrists in his thick hand. I squirmed, and screamed, fought him with everything I had left. He simply began to walk away, dragging my body across the sand.

"Destiny! Don't go, please! I don't know what I'd do with out you! You're the only one I trust in this world, I need you!" These words were so different from the voice that cried them, that at first, it didn't register in my head who had spoken them. Sasuke's voice seemed to tear my very heart apart, leaving one sore, throbbing piece in my chest. The other half was with Sasuke.

I continued to struggle, becoming a blur of flailing limbs and blonde hair, shrieking at the monster who scrapped my body over the dunes. Sasuke needed me. I couldn't leave him, not now.

Sasuke's voiced faded away, leaving the desert eerily silent. My body grew weak, and transformed into a rag doll beneath me, limp and exposed. My eyes fell closed against my will, and my consciousness seemed to flicker in and out rapidly. "Sasuke," I mouthed, in my desperate, waking period.

And that's when I felt it. Something warm, and wet, dribbled down my cheek, leaving a wind shocked streak across the flesh it had danced over. I recognized it as a tear.

Sasuke's tear.

A warm, buttery feeling over whelmed me all at once. Suddenly, I could feel the cold that always accompanied a spring breeze, nurturing my ravaged, burning flesh. Orochimarru's grasp seemed to disappear all together, leaving me seemingly suspended in my own dreams. Slowly, I became aware of my surroundings. I could feel the prickle of rough grass, and pine needles, and smell the distinct perfume of the dandelion. Lastly, I felt the warmth of someone's hand, pressed against mine. A tear fell like a raindrop from heaven, catching the early sun's glare so that it lit up like diamond for a split second, before it crashed against my cheek and shattering into a thousand shards.

My eyes were open. Sasuke leaned over me, hair falling in front of his shoulders and hands placed atop mine. His head was bowed, and his chest shuddered as it sucked air in and out.

I squeezed his hand, and his head jerked up, eyes alight with the shimmer of tears, sparkling in the late sun's light.

"Sasuke." My voice was soft, and aw stricken.

He gazed at me in bewildered joy, as if I were a mirage that may vanish any moment. And at that moment, I knew he loved me. He loved me more than his reputation, even more that revenge it's self. He loved me more than life.

I threw my arms around his neck, squeezing him has hard as I could. And for the first time, he hugged back.

And so, we sat there in our embrace, laughing, crying, watching as the sun rose again, bright and new in the morning sky.

At some point, the voices came. Sasuke and I hesitantly broke apart as Caleb and Kakashi came storming through the forest. I blushed a bit at the sight of Caleb, embarrassed that I had so completely forgotten about him. Both men relaxed when they saw the joy on my face.

"Good morning Kakashi!" I called, noticing the early morning sun. I had been out longer than I thought.

"It's nice to see you in one piece, Destiny," Kakashi responded, grinning with his eyes.

"And Caleb! I missed you!" I called, giving him a swift hug.

"I'm just glad you're ok," It seemed a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, and he suddenly stood straighter, and spoke happier.

"What happened? Caleb was so panicked when he found me that I never got a very good explanation of what was going on." Kakashi looked at me, expectant.

When I didn't answer, Sasuke spoke for me. "It seems that Orochimarru trapped Destiny in some bizarre gen jutsu. I called to her, but she couldn't hear my voice. It was almost like Orochimarru was trying to capture her very spirit."

I only debated briefly on whether or not to tell Sasuke that I actually could hear his voice, that it was his voice that had saved me. But looked around I realized that this was not something he would want to discuss in public.

"He lured me there by threatening… Naruto!" I screamed, realizing who I had forgotten in my bliss. Again.

"What about Naruto?" Kakashi asked, having never heard this story.

"Naruto got captured yesterday, well I guess it was two days ago, but anyways, he was trying to protect me from Orochimarru, and was taken because I was fighting Sasuke… Oh my gosh this is all my fault!" I condensed my entire speech into a shockingly small space, my head spinning while I panicked.

"It's ok, Dessy, we'll find him, I promise," Caleb assured me.

"Find who?" Someone yelled.

I turned around, the whole group was stunned into silence. Emerging from the trees, was my brother. I dropped to my knees, shocked and numb. "Is it really you?" I cried.

"Yes Destiny, it is." He dodged the others and came straight to me, engulfing me in a big bear hug.

"How are you here?" I asked.

"When you found the strength to escape Orochimarru's jutsu, the whole thing crumbled to pieces. I woke in Orochimarru's hide out, but there weren't any guards so I just slipped out."

"So it was you, hanging there in the sky?" I concluded.

"I was there the whole time."

At that, I blushed scarlet. The idea that my only family had watched me nearly hand over my life to a monster at the bride of "Power" was so humiliating that I was forced to bury my head into his shoulder so that he didn't notice my sudden change in color.

"Well, as long as nobody's hurt, we better head back to camp." Caleb interrupted, sounding a bit guilty.

"Why? What has your feathers ruffled?" I asked.

"We, um, uh, sort of assumed the worst and told the medical ninja to be set up at the camp and ready to treat whoever we found." Caleb blushed at his little faith in us, avoiding my eye.

"What Caleb means," Kakashi clarified, "is that Sakura is waiting for us back at camp."

"Pinky!" I exclaimed.

A long, unspoken conversation seemed to pass between Kakashi and Sasuke. Both just starred at each other for a stretched moment, eyes unreadable. Suddenly, I wondered when they had last seen each other. Sasuke's betrayed had surely left an imprint on his team members, as well as Kakashi. I remembered the sad, weary look in Naruto's eyes when I had first spied Naruto and Sasuke two days ago. What had this done to Sakura?

The walk back to camp was tension filled and stiff. It was as if everyone had just realized that Sasuke was really here. Naruto and Kakashi both seemed unsure of how to behave, disbelieving that Sasuke was really back on our side.

As we neared the camp, a sense of expectancy over came me. Curious, I rushed a head of the others, to find a beautiful young woman with pink hair pacing the dirt ground.

At my arrival, she looked up.

I smiled, trying to stay pleasant, and she smiled back. "Hi, Sakura," I called, slightly awkward.

"Hey Destiny," She replied.

And that was all the time together that we got. The others walked around the corner. Sakura's eyes locked on Sasuke, first joy filled and then angry. I could sense the awkward instability in the air and foolishly edged toward the trees. "I'm gonna, uh, go get some take out," I muttered.

"I'm coming!" Caleb chimed in immediately.

"I know the best ramen place in the area!" Naruto trotted over to my side.

"You guys will get lost if I don't come along." Kakashi warned, following Naruto.

Sasuke silently tailed Kakashi. "I'm going as well."

"No you're not." Kakashi stopped, turning around. "It would be rude to leave Sakura here all alone."

"But!" Both Sasuke and Sakura began.

All four of us disappeared into the trees, leaving a desperate Sakura and a miserable Sasuke.

"I hope they don't kill each other," Kakashi muttered under his breath.

As it turns out, Naruto's ramen place wasn't as close as we'd suspected. We got lost more than once before I finally defied the reluctant boys and asked for directions. By the time we'd crossed town again and found the ramen place, it was afternoon.

The whole point of leaving Sasuke and Sakura together was to mend their broken friendship. However at this point, I couldn't deny that I was jealous of the time that they got to spend together while we had searched every square inch of this village for a ramen shop.

By the time we neared camp the sun cast long shadows over the earth and the ramen was long cold. Luckily for me, my imaginative mind had kicked in long ago, and I was drowning in fantasies of Sasuke and myself. There were just so many questions, like what would we do tomorrow, when the others headed back to the village. Would we go with them, or split of on our own.

I decided that I would talk to Sasuke about this as soon as we got back, maybe we could go eat somewhere else, alone. And I would tell him about his voice, tell him that I needed him to.

I was leading the group at this point, we had all gone our own ways, and I, being the most anxious to return, was at least five minutes in the lead. I approached slowly, tired after the days travel.

A chorus of laughter greeted me in the surrounding trees. Through the branches, I could the faint glow of a fire. I poked my head around, my eyes going wide at the sight of Sakura and Sasuke huddled over the flames.

Sakura giggled, her eyes catching the light of the flames. She looked more relaxed, more at peace than I had ever seen her before. She smiled, unaware of the beauty draped over her in the dieing day's light.

And Sasuke gazed back at her with a look of adoration that I hadn't known he was capable of. That tough shell he constantly buffeted had been totally dissolved by her innocent magic, leaving him completely unguarded and soft.

I had never been able to do that. A throbbing began in my heart as I looked back and forth between the two. My jealousy was nearly lost in the beauty of the two. They were _meant_ to be together, forever. They were soul mates, nothing, not even time, could come between that.

I stepped from my hiding place, a single tear dangling on my lashes. I had to leave, now. Before I could inflict any more damage on the couple.

"You really do love him, don't you," Caleb asked, hardly above a whisper.

I jumped, swallowing a scream.

"Caleb?" I asked, stalling so I could wipe that tear away.

"Yes Dessy." He walked up right behind me.

"Am I a horrible person?" I bit my lip, glaring at the ground.

"No Dessy, you're human, that's all. And humans fall in and out of love. There is no crime hidden in something so purely instinctual, it's just a part of life."

"Are you trying to tell me that there is nothing wrong with blinding a man of his soul mate? That's the most horrible thing a person could do, deprive someone of that sort of happiness!" I motioned to the place where Sasuke and Sakura sat, tears welling up in my eyes again.

Caleb knelt down on one knee and faced me, looking me in the eyes. "Nothing lasts forever, and we just have to make the best of what little time we're given." He reached his arms out for me, and as had become habit lately, I fell into them and cried.

"Do you really believe that's true?" I wept.

He massaged my back. "Yes, I do. And I don't want to waste any of the time that I have left with you. I almost lost you today. It made me realize that God could take you away from me any day, and I'm not ready to let go yet."

I pulled my head back so I could see all of him. "Me either," I realized. "Let's run away, together," I mused. "We can get away from all of this," I waved my arms across the sky. "We can just be."

Caleb smiled.

I smiled back.

Something cold brushed my arm. I looked down, smiling at the intricate, glistening snow flake. I guess it does snow in Japan after all.

The End


End file.
